Nothing is more soul-soothing than a bowl of homemade pasta! And this time of year, we love using seasonal veggies like zucchini and tomatoes to really make our pasta fresh and delicious! This recipe for Roasted Zucchini and Tomato Pasta is light, fresh and full of flavor!
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Homemade Pasta
If you've followed us for a while, you know that we are big advocates of making your pasta from scratch! You can find our go-to pasta recipe HERE if you need some inspiration. The bottom line is, homemade pasta is just BETTER! From the texture to the flavor, homemade pasta will always win.
If you are intimidated by the idea of homemade pasta, don't be! It really isn't that hard and can be made by hand without a machine if you don't have the equipment. Although the equipment makes your life a whole lot easier! But in our Homemade Pasta post, we provide some options for inexpensive equipment.
We say it a lot, and we will say it again here, MAKE HOMEMADE PASTA! You will thank us later.
Ingredients
Read the title once more, and this is pretty much it! It is super simple!
- Fettuccine Pasta: Use your favorite fettuccine pasta for this recipe, or make it homemade following our Homemade Pasta recipe.
- Zucchini: The zucchini are roasted in a way that results in beautifully caramelized slices with the absolute best, melt-in-your-mouth texture. You may have seen the viral Thomas Keller zucchini recipe on TikTok or Instagram Reels. This is the same cooking method.
- Salt and Pepper
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: We always recommend using high-quality EVOO when making any pasta recipe. If you don't have at least one really good extra virgin olive oil, head to the store right not and pick one up! A high quality olive oil really tops this dish off. You can also get a lemon or other flavor infused olive oil and it will be great on this dish.
- Cherry Tomatoes: The cherry tomatoes are roasted with the zucchini as well, which makes them slightly sweeter and incredibly juicy!
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes: These add a touch of heat to the dish without making it spicy.
- Lemon Zest: This dish uses the lemon zest grated on at the end to give it some zesty bright notes.
- Fresh Basil: The basil leaves can be chopped and sprinkled onto the pasta before serving.
- Parmesan Cheese: Make sure you grate some Parmigiano-Reggiano right on top at the table for good measure. And buy the real deal Parmigiano-Reggiano DOP imported from Italy, not some imitation version.
Instructions
This pasta dish can be made with a few simple steps:
- Roast the Zucchini and Tomatoes: First you will cook the zucchini by caramelizing the scored zucchini halves in a skillet, then adding the cherry tomatoes pepper and red pepper flakes to the pan before transferring the skillet to a preheated 375°F oven for about 20 minutes.
- Cook your Pasta: While the zucchini and tomatoes roast, you will cook your pasta following the package directions to al dente. Drain pasta and transfer to a serving bowl.
- Finish your Dish: Add the roasted zucchini and tomatoes with residual olive oil to your pasta and toss to combine. Drizzle with your high quality olive oil, add the lemon zest, fresh basil, Parmesan cheese and lemon juice (optional) and serve!
Substitutions
Here are some common substitutions you can make with this dish:
- Zucchini: You can use yellow summer squash in place of the zucchini if desired.
- Cherry Tomatoes: Grape tomatoes will work in this recipe as well.
- Fettuccine: You can use any type of pasta shape in this recipe in place of fettuccine.
Variations
Want to change up this dish? Try these options out:
- Flavored Olive Oil: Use flavor-infused olive oils, like lemon, basil, garlic or chile-infused oil as the final drizzle for a flavorful twist.
FAQ
The zucchini in this recipe is cooked in the same way as the viral Thomas Keller Zucchini recipe. It results in a caramelized and super creamy zucchini texture that is unbeatable!
Regular olive oil is often processed with heat or chemicals and may not be made 100% from olives. Extra Virgin Olive Oil is unrefined (meaning never processed or heated) so it is the highest quality and has the most health benefits.
Enjoy!
We hope you enjoy this recipe for Roasted Zucchini and Tomato Pasta! If you give it a try, leave us a comment below or tag us on Instagram @cooking_with_wine!
Related
Check out more Quick and Easy Italian Recipes below:
Pairing
Here are our favorite cocktails to pair with this Roasted Zucchini and Tomato Pasta:
Roasted Zucchini and Tomato Pasta
Equipment
- 1 large skillet, oven safe
- 1 large pot, for cooking pasta
Ingredients
- 12 ounces dry fettuccine pasta or 1 recipe Multipurpose Pasta Dough
- 2 small-medium zucchini
- 4 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoon Olive oil
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Zest of 1 lemon
Garnishes
- Chopped basil
- Parmesan cheese
- Lemon juice optional
Instructions
Make the Zucchini
- Preheat oven to 375°
- Split the zucchini lengthwise and score the flesh side with a sharp knife in a crosshatch pattern. The slits should not be too deep – maybe ⅛ inch. Place on a plate and liberally sprinkle with kosher salt (about 1 tablespoon per zucchini half) and let sit, undisturbed for 15-20 minutes.
- The zucchini will have expelled quite a bit of water at this point, and you can shake them over a sink to remove the water and excess salt. Using a paper or tea towel gently brush the zucchini to remove as much water and salt as you can.
- Heat a large ovenproof skillet on medium heat. Add the olive oil (2 tbsp) and place the zucchini, flesh side down, in the pan. Let the zucchini cook in the pan until they begin to brown, this will take about 4-5 minutes but check with a fork or fish spatula by lifting the zucchini up and looking at the coloration.
- Once browned, add all the cherry tomatoes, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes to the pan. Give it a gentle stir, ensuring the zucchini remain face down. Place the skillet into the oven and cook, undisturbed, until the zucchini have very little resistance when poked with a skewer or toothpick, about 20 minutes.
Cook the Pasta
- While the zucchini cooks, prepare your pot of salted boiling water for your pasta.
- Cook pasta to al dente per the package instructions. Once the pasta is done, remove to a colander then add the pasta to a serving dish.
- Carefully remove the pan from the oven, keeping in mind the handle will be very hot. Remove the contents of the pan to the bowl with the pasta and cut each zucchini piece into fourths. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and toss to combine. Add any (or all) of the garnishes and serve. Enjoy!
Kirby says
This was the perfect way to use up my garden zucchini! Such a tasty and satisfying dish.
Angela and Mark says
We are so glad you enjoyed it!