This creamy zucchini pasta recipe gets zippy bright flavor from fresh lemon juice and zest. The simple sauce is made with mascarpone and parmesan cheeses, use linguine, spaghetti or shorter pasta noodles, too.
This creamy lemon zucchini pasta showcases peak summer zucchini and truly lets you appreciate it. It's indulgent but light, and brightened with basil and lemon. All the flavors shine and nothing gets drowned out.
The mascarpone cheese that forms the sauce is light and creamy and doesn't overwhelm the delicate flavor of the zucchini and lemon, and doesn't drown the pasta. It tastes like fresh sweet cream and goes perfectly with the sweetness of the zucchini.
I love a quick and easy vegetarian pasta recipe! Try my Asparagus Pasta in the springtime, Pesto Pasta at the height of summer, Pasta with Radicchio and Goat Cheese in the wintertime, or Pasta with Green Olives any time of year.
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Creamy lemon zucchini pasta ingredients
You only need 6 ingredients to make this creamy pasta recipe that lets the flavor of the zucchini and lemon shine through! It's easy and effortless!
- Zucchini: Look for smaller zucchini that are firm with no soft spots. (If they are too large you will have all seeds.) The skin of zucchini is very delicate, so you'll find they have some nicks here and there but that's no big whoop.
- Pasta noodles: I like linguine or spaghetti for this, but you could also use penne or a variety of other noodles, see tips below. Choose a good-quality pasta brand like DeCecco.
- Mascarpone cheese: Mascarpone cheese is often called Italian cream cheese. It's creamy and light, has a soft, spreadable texture and tastes of fresh cream. You'll find it in the dairy section, usually near the mozzarella and ricotta.
- Parmesan cheese: I always recommend real parmigiano reggiano that you grate yourself!
- Unsalted butter: Use unsalted butter so you can control the amount of salt in the lemon cream sauce yourself.
- Lemon juice and zest: We are using both lemon juice and lemon zest in the creamy pasta sauce, because we want this zucchini recipe to be super lemony! The juice adds tang, the use the citrus zest to add a floral quality and top note of flavor.
- Kosher salt
How to make creamy zucchini pasta
Step 1: Boil the pasta
Put a large pot of water on to boil. Once boiling, add salt until it "tastes like the sea" then add the pasta.
Step 2: Prep the lemon and zucchini
With a good chef's knife, slice the zucchini into batons or matchsticks. See tips below.
Use a microplane grater to grate the lemon zest. Then squeeze the juice and set aside.
Step 3: Cook the zucchini
Place a large, deep skillet over medium low heat. Add the olive oil and once it's shimmering, add the zucchini to the pan and season with salt.
Cook the zucchini until just softened and still bright green, don't let it take on any color. (It will continue to cook in the sauce.)
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Step 4: Add pasta and mascarpone to zucchini
When the pasta is just shy of al dente, use tongs to transfer it directly into the skillet with the zucchini. Scoop out about ยฝ cup of the pasta water and add to the skillet, turn the heat up to medium. Stir in the mascarpone until completely melted.
Step 5: Add parmesan cheese and finish the creamy sauce
Add the parmesan cheese, continue stirring until it melts into the sauce that's forming with the pasta water and mascarpone. When some of the pasta water has been absorbed and all cheese is melted and the sauce has gotten creamy, stir in the butter.
Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice and zest. Transfer to serving dishes and top with fresh basil, and more lemon zest if desired.
Expert tips
- Change up the way you slice the zucchini: When slicing the zucchini, you can do thinner matchsticks or thicker batons. You could even do half moons. Keep in mind that the center, seedy part will virtually disintegrate if you cut the strips too thin.
- Don't drain the pasta in a colander: We are not draining the pasta, we are lifting it right out of one pot and putting it into another! We need the water clinging to the noodles as well as some of the cooking water to form the creamy, lemony zucchini pasta sauce. Easy-peasy and less dishes and hassle!
- Zhuzh up the creamy sauce: If you want to add even more flavor to your pasta with zucchini, stir in some basil pesto off the heat, before you add the lemon juice.
- Need a swap for mascarpone? Mascarpone cheese is widely available in most grocery stores, but if you can't find it, substitute heavy cream.
Best pasta shapes to pair with zucchini
You can choose from a variety of shapes for creamy zucchini pasta. My favorite are longer noodles like linguine and spaghetti that mimic the long thin slices of zucchini. Shorter pasta noodles that will still grab onto the creamy sauce also work well. Long or short, curly or straight, try any of these!
- Linguine
- Spaghetti
- Cavatappi
- Penne
- Farfalle (bow-tie pasta)
- Fusilli
Ways to serve creamy zucchini pasta
Anything fresh and summery will go perfectly with the lemony flavor of this creamy zucchini pasta. Try these ideas for starters, side salads and dessert that keep things light and fresh.
- Start with an appetizer: Radishes with Radish Leaf Butter or Pea and Mint Crostini would make great starters!
- Try a fresh salad: A Nectarine Salad with Tomatoes is summer on a plate, and a Tricolore Salad or a Massaged Kale Salad are classic choices.
- What about dessert: Finish the meal with some Amaretti Cookies with Cherries or a Mixed Berry Cake.
More zucchini recipes
These zucchini recipes are here for you when you are up to your elbows in it!
- This Zucchini Parmesan is NOT breaded and NOT fried! But it has all the indulgence and flavor you're looking for.
- Try a Zucchini Salad when you just can't bear to cook a thing.
- A Zucchini Frittata is quick and easy for brunch or dinner!
Creamy zucchini pasta is lemony, light, quick, and easy!
- No heavy cream here. We're using some mascarpone cheese to make it creamy to keep things lighter.
- Quick prep: Just chop some zucchini, grate the parmesan, and zest a lemon.
- Only 6 ingredients.
- Fast and easy: The zucchini cooks while the pasta boils.
- A great vegetarian summer meal!
- Ready in 30 minutes!
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Recipe
Creamy Zucchini Pasta Recipe
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Equipment
- box grater if grating your own cheese.
Ingredients
- 2 small to medium zucchini
- 1 pound pasta linguine, spaghetti, or penne
- 8 ounces mascarpone cheese
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese about 2.5 ounces
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- zest of two lemons
- fresh basil
- kosher salt
Instructions
- Put a large pot of water on to boil. Once boiling, add salt until it "tastes like the sea" then add the pasta.
- Slice the zucchini into batons or matchsticks. See tips below.
- Use a microplane grater to grate the lemon zest. Then squeeze the juice and set aside.
- Place a large skillet over medium low heat. Add the olive oil and once it's shimmering, add the zucchini to the pan and season with salt. Cook the zucchini until just softened and still bright green, don't let it take on any color. (It will continue to cook in the sauce.)
- When the pasta is just shy of al dente, use tongs to transfer it directly into the skillet with the zucchini. Scoop out about ½ cup of the pasta water and add to the skillet, turn the heat up to medium. Stir in the mascarpone until completely melted.
- Add the parmesan cheese, continue stirring until it melts into the sauce that's forming with the pasta water and mascarpone. When some of the pasta water has been absorbed, all cheese is melted and the sauce has gotten creamy, stir in the butter. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice and zest.
- Transfer to serving dishes and top with fresh basil, and more lemon zest if desired.
Notes
- When slicing the zucchini, you can do thinner matchsticks or thicker batons. It's easier to keep it from overcooking if they are a bit thicker. You could even do half moons. Keep in mind that the center, seedy part will virtually disintegrate if you cut it into very thin strips.
- If you can't find mascarpone, substitute heavy cream.
- We are not draining the pasta! We need the water clinging to the noodles as well as some of the pasta water to form the sauce. Easy-peasy and less dishes and hassle!
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