Creamy Lemon Zucchini Bucatini.
This lemon zucchini pasta is true summer comfort food. Creamy bucatini with melted, caramelized zucchini, fresh lemon zest, garlic and tons of parmesan is one of the most satisfying dishes ever. Add a handful of basil and you’re good to go!
We’ve got a super easy dinner on the menu tonight!
This creamy lemon zucchini pasta is so simple and flavorful. It’s satisfying and filling, loaded with summer herbs and garden zucchini and finished with lots of shaved parmesan cheese.
Sounds like my kind of dish!
These are my favorite kinds of meals. Meatless pasta dishes, filled with vegetables and citrus and herbs, finished with parmesan and served on their own or as a side. They please everyone in one way or another!
I love this served with one of my favorite salads. Eddie usually will eat it as a side dish. For the kids, I can chop up some grilled chicken or shrimp and toss it into one bowl. It’s always a hit!
I’m a huge fan of zucchini and pasta together, especially when the zucchini melts down into this caramelized delicious bite. Take my melted zucchini baked ziti for example.
There is something SO delicious about cooking the squash down. Even though it takes quite a bit and doesn’t yield a huge amount, it tastes fabulous.
I find it so worth it – sort of like caramelized onions. The whole flavor packs a punch!
Here’s how we make it!
First, grate the zucchini. I like to get 3 to 4 cups of shredded zucchini total. Once I have that, I squeeze out as much of the excess water that I can!
Next, the zucchini goes into a big saucepan with some butter, salt and pepper. This cooks down and gets caramelly and absolutely delicious.
While the zucchini cooks, I make the pasta! I boil the bucatini and set some of the starchy pasta water aside too.
Then comes the cream, lemon zest, herbs and parmesan. This all goes into the skillet with the pasta, as well as some of the starchy water. The good stuff!
I like to mix this similarly to how I mix carbonara: quickly with a wooden spoon or soft spatula, so everything gets combined and almost emulsified.
Finally, a ton of fresh basil and chives go into the skillet. And I top it off with even more parmesan, this time in the form of shaved parm. Which I adore!
The end result is this deliciously creamy and lemony pasta studded with zucchini bits. It really does remind me of carbonara in a way, just minus the egg.
And it’s pretty too!
Lemon Zucchini Bucatini
Creamy Lemon Zucchini Pasta
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 cups freshly grated zucchini, before squeezing
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- kosher salt and pepper
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 pound bucatini pasta
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated lemon zest
- ⅓ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
- ½ cup chopped fresh basil, plus more for topping
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
- ⅓ cup shaved parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Freshly grate the zucchini. Place it in a large kitchen towel and squeeze out as much of the liquid as possible.
- Heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the zucchini with a big pinch of salt and pepper. Stir to toss. Cook, stirring over, until the zucchini melts down and becomes caramelized, about 20 to 25 minutes. Stir in the garlic.
- While the zucchini cooks, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the bucatini. When it’s finished, reserve 2 cups of the starchy pasta water.
- Transfer the pasta to the pan with the zucchini - you can take it right from the pot and place it in the zucchini skillet. Add 1 cup of the reserved water and the heavy cream. Stir and toss until combined. Stir in the lemon zest and the finely grated parmesan.
- Add another ½ cup of the starchy water, stirring to combine. Add in the fresh basil and chives. Taste and if needed, add in more salt, pepper or lemon zest or parmesan.
- Top the pasta with the shaved parmesan and a bunch of fresh basil. Serve immediately!
Did you make this recipe?
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I appreciate you so much!
Extra parm please.
5 Comments on “Creamy Lemon Zucchini Bucatini.”
Hi! When do you put the garlic in? Same time as the zucchinis? It’s not mentioned :)
Thanks
Not sure if this is correct, but I added the garlic to the zucchini about 30-45 seconds before adding the cream and pasta water.
Tried this recipe tonight, the only change was using half and half since we didn’t have heavy cream. It was wonderful, so tasty… thank you!
Loved the flavor, creaminess, and bucatini pasta is so much fun!
Tried this tonight. It worked great. Thanks!