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I changed one ingredient and ended up making the gooiest Cheesy Summer Zucchini Pasta that might be better than Mac N Cheese!
By the middle of summer, our garden is producing more zucchini than we know what to do with. Our cheesy zucchini pasta recipe is full of caramelized zucchini, toasted pine nuts and the creamiest mozzarella cheese sauce ever!! What’s my secret ingredient?
Secret to A Gooey Cheese Sauce
While I love zucchini bread as much as anyone, sometimes I just want savory ways to use my zucchini, and this is my new favorite!
Tender zucchini and yellow squash are slowly cooked until they’re golden and sweet, then tossed with cavatappi pasta in a creamy whipped cottage cheese sauce! It’s fresh enough for summer but delicious enough to make all year long.
This recipe was inspired by the flavors in our summer zucchini chowder. With garlic, herbs, fresh basil, parmesan, mozzarella, and toasted pine nuts this is an easy pasta dinner that’s perfect for busy weeknights.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- The perfect way to use summer squash
- Creamy without heavy cream
- Ready in about 45 minutes
- Loaded with fresh herbs and basil
- Great for meal prep
- Kid-friendly way to eat vegetables
- Easy to customize with your favorite pasta
- A delicious meatless dinner (or add grilled chicken)
Ingredients You’ll Need
Fresh summer vegetables and a handful of simple pantry staples come together to create a pasta that’s rich, creamy, and packed with flavor. Here’s what you’ll need:
Zucchini
- Zucchini and Yellow Squash: Using both green zucchini and yellow squash adds beautiful color and slightly different flavors, but you can use all zucchini if that’s what you have.
- Trader Joe’s Aglio Olio Seasoning: Adds savory flavor with almost no effort. Trader Joe’s Aglio Olio seasoning is our favorite, but any garlic herb blend works well.
Pasta
- Cavatappi Pasta: Those corkscrew shapes catch all the creamy sauce in every bite. Rotini, fusilli, penne, or shells are great substitutes.
Sauce
- Better Than Bouillon Chicken: Adds extra savory flavor to the pasta water, creating a richer sauce than plain pasta water alone.
- Low Fat Cottage Cheese: The secret ingredient that creates a creamy, protein-packed sauce without feeling heavy.
- Cream Cheese: Adds richness and helps create a silky smooth texture.
- Garlic Herb Butter: Infuses the entire dish with buttery garlic flavor.
- Shallot: Sweeter and milder than onions, adding depth without overpowering the zucchini.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic brings bold flavor to the sauce.
- Fresh Thyme: Adds an earthy, herbaceous note that pairs beautifully with summer squash.
- Lemon Juice: Brighten the rich sauce and balance the cheese.
- Red Wine Vinegar: Adds just enough acidity to make all the flavors pop.
- Honey: Balances the acidity with a subtle touch of sweetness.
- Dijon Mustard: Adds depth while helping emulsify the sauce.
- Lemon Zest: Adds bright, fresh citrus flavor that lightens the creamy sauce.
- Shredded Mozzarella: Creates that irresistible melty cheese pull.
- Parmesan Shavings: Adds salty, nutty richness.
- Basil: Brings fresh summer flavor to every bite.
- Pine Nuts: Add buttery crunch and a delicious finishing touch.
How to Make This Zucchini Pasta Recipe
Don’t let the ingredient list fool you! This recipe is surprisingly easy. While the zucchini slowly cooks down and caramelizes, the pasta boils and the creamy sauce comes together in just a few minutes.
- Cook the zucchini: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the zucchini, garlic herb seasoning, salt, and pepper, then cook, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini is tender and deeply golden, about 20–30 minutes.
- Cook the pasta: Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the cavatappi until al dente. Reserve 1 to 1½ cups of the pasta water and stir in the Better Than Bouillon. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- Blend the sauce: In a blender, puree the cottage cheese and cream cheese until smooth.
- Build the sauce: In the same pasta pot, melt the garlic herb butter over medium heat. Cook the shallot until softened, about 3 minutes, then stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Whisk in the blended cheeses, thyme, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Combine and serve: Add the cooked pasta, zucchini, mozzarella, Parmesan, basil, and most of the toasted pine nuts. Toss until everything is evenly coated, adding a splash of the reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce. Garnish with the remaining pine nuts and serve immediately.
Carrian’s Tip
Don’t rush the zucchini! Let it cook until it’s deeply golden and caramelized. That’s where the rich, sweet flavor comes from and what makes this pasta so irresistible.
Variations and Substitutions
This pasta dish is super easy to customize and make substitutions. Here are a few ideas:
- Add grilled chicken.
- Stir in cooked Italian sausage.
- Use spinach instead of basil.
- Swap pine nuts for walnuts.
- Add cherry tomatoes.
- Make it spicy with red pepper flakes.
- Use gluten-free pasta.
What to Serve With It
This cheesy zucchini and pasta is hearty enough to serve on its own, but it’s also delicious alongside a few simple sides.
Storing and Reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave with a splash of milk or reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce.
This cheesy zucchini pasta recipe is proof that garden zucchini can be so much more than bread or muffins. It’s creamy, fresh, packed with herbs, and full of bright summer flavor in every bite. Whether you’re trying to use up a bumper crop from the garden or just looking for a tasty pasta dinner with extra vegetables, this is one recipe you’ll find yourself making all season long.
More Summer Zucchini Recipes…
Watch How This Zucchini and Pasta Recipe is Made…
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