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This Zucchini Pesto Pasta tosses al dente pasta and shredded zucchini in a luxurious homemade zucchini basil pesto sauce. It’s an easy way to use up your fresh zucchini and a must-try summer dinner that’s bursting with fresh flavors! Vegan; Gluten-Free and Nut-Free Options.
Looking for a new way to use up all of that fresh summer zucchini in your fridge? This Zucchini Pesto Pasta Recipe has got you covered! It combines al dente pasta and sauteéd zucchini with a luxurious homemade zucchini pesto sauce, leaving you with a refreshing and flavor-packed dinner.
Table of Contents
Pasta and Zucchini, Together At Last
This Zucchini Pesto Pasta is no ordinary summer zucchini recipe – it’s hearty, creamy, fresh, and totally delicious!
Zucchini is practically bursting out of the farmers’ markets during summer, and there are endless fun ways to enjoy it. When you need a change from roasting it in the oven or firing it on the grill, I’d suggest turning to this recipe. It uses zucchini in two different ways: (1) it’s blended into a fresh batch of zucchini basil pesto sauce, and (2) it’s shredded and blanched alongside boiling pasta noodles, to sneak a little extra veg in there!
Toss the pasta, zucchini, and pesto together, and voila! You have an irresistible zucchini pesto pasta that’s as satisfying as it is flavorful.
What You Need for Pesto Zucchini Pasta
This pesto pasta recipe uses a mix of fresh and pantry staple ingredients, including a bunch of fresh zucchini. It’s used in two different ways to give the pasta a fresh summer vibe. Here’s what you need to make it:
- Pasta: opt for a long pasta shape, like bucati, spaghetti, or linguini. Short pasta will work, too.
- Zucchini: you need two medium-sized zucchinis. One is shredded and boiled with the pasta, and the other is shredded, sautéed in oil, and blended into the pesto. If you’d like to give this recipe a bit more substance, run the first zucchini through a spiralizer for a 1:1 combo of cooked noodles and zucchini noodles.
- Shallot: it’s sautéed with the second zucchini to give the pesto subtle savory notes.
- Walnuts: pesto is traditionally made with pine nuts, but I find that walnuts work just as well. They’re buttery soft, budget-friendly, and a secret source of omega-3 fatty acids.
- Fresh Basil: an absolute must for those fresh flavors pesto is known for! Dry basil just won’t cut it here.
- Vegan Parmesan: use grated vegan parmesan or 1 tablespoon of nutritional yeast to give the pesto a burst of cheesy umami.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: it emulsifies the pesto and gives it plenty of body. Opt for a high-quality oil to give your pesto the best flavor.
How to Make Vegan Zucchini Pesto Pasta
- Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water. With 2 minutes left, reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water and add the shredded zucchini to the pot. Drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, shred the second zucchini and squeeze as much liquid from it as possible. Sauté the shallot in a medium skillet, then add the shredded and drained zucchini. Sauté until it starts to brown, then transfer the veggie mix to a plate. Place it in the fridge to cool.
- Process the walnuts, garlic, salt, and chili flakes in a food processor. Once the walnuts are finely chopped, add the basil, parmesan, and lemon juice. With the processor running, slowly stream in the olive oil. Add the cooled zucchini mixture to the food processor and process until the pesto is smooth.
- Add the cooked pasta to the now-empty skillet and warm over medium heat. Toss it with the zucchini pesto, thinning it with the reserved pasta water as needed.
- Serve the warm zucchini pasta in bowls with vegan parmesan cheese, chili flakes, and fresh basil on top.
Caitlin’s Cooking Tips
- Drain the zucchini before sautéing: Luckily, draining the excess water from raw zucchini is a super simple process, and there are many ways to get it done. I find that the easiest way is to squeeze the grated zucchini by hand, but you can also use a clean kitchen towel, cheesecloth, or a fine mesh strainer. Check out this guide on How to Drain Zucchini by The Kitchn for even more methods.
- To peel or not to peel the zucchini: Feel free to peel the zucchini ahead of time or leave the peel on to keep things simple. I prefer to keep the skin intact because the hues of light and dark green give the finished meal a nice color contrast.
Serving Suggestions
Just like my Pistachio Pesto Pasta, a plate of pasta covered in homemade pesto always makes everyday dinners feel a little more bougie. This recipe is particularly perfect for summer dinners because that’s when zucchini is at its peak. Pair each bowl with a crisp green salad, like this Everyday Kale Salad or this Swiss Chard Salad, and a side of this Italian Herbs & Cheese Bread for a well-rounded meal everyone will love.
If you’re looking for even more vegan pesto pasta recipes to try, you’ll also love this No-Boil Pesto Pasta Bake, this Avocado Pesto Pasta, and this Pea Pesto Pasta!
How to Store Leftover Zucchini Pasta
This pesto pasta is best served as soon as it’s assembled. If you have leftovers, wait for them to cool before packing them into an airtight container. The pasta will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge.
You can also make the zucchini pesto ahead of time and store it on its own. Transfer it to an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. The oil in the pesto will solidify after freezing, but if you let it thaw overnight in the fridge or place it on the kitchen counter for about an hour, it will re-liquify.
Substitutions and Variations
- Gluten-Free Option: Make this with gluten-free pasta instead. Even zucchini noodles will work if you’re craving a gluten-free triple zucchini pasta.
- Walnut Substitute: Swap the walnuts in the pesto with an equal amount of pine nuts or slivered almonds.
- Nut-Free Option: You can easily replace the walnuts with equal parts pumpkin seeds (pepitas) if you need the recipe to be nut-free.
- Vegetable Add-Ins: Blanch broccoli florets, green peas, or leafy greens at the same time as the zucchini. Or, toss sautéed cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, or eggplant with the cooked pasta and pesto.
- For a Protein Boost: Toss a batch of this Crispy Tofu, this Baked Tempeh, a can of drained and rinsed white beans, or a sliced vegan Italian sausage into the pesto pasta to make it more satisfying.
Recipe FAQs
Easily! Just wait for the cooked pasta and zucchini to cool completely before tossing them with the zucchini pesto.
Yes, I highly recommend sautéing the zucchini before blending it into the pesto. If you skip this step, your pesto will have a grassy, raw veggie flavor and a looser, watery consistency.
The zucchini pesto is so versatile and can be used pretty much anywhere you’d use regular basil pesto. Use it in this Pesto Star Bread, enjoy it as a dipping sauce with garlic bread and veggies, spread it on a pizza, toss it with this Pesto Orzo Salad, or enjoy it with these Grilled Pesto Tofu Sliders.
Enjoy! If you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I would also love it if you could leave a comment below with a recipe rating! Thank you for the support 😊
Zucchini Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
For the Pasta:
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 8 ounces bucatini (or preferred pasta shape; gluten-free if necessary)
- 1 medium zucchini spiralized or shredded (optional)
For the Zucchini:
- 1 zucchini grated
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 shallot fine dice
For the Pesto:
- 1/4 cup raw walnuts, or sub pine nuts
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes optional
- 1 ounce fresh basil, de-stemmed (about 1 packed cup)
- 1/4 cup finely grated vegan parmesan* or sub 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- Juice of 1/2 lemon 1 tablespoon
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the salt and pasta and cook until al dente, according to the package instructions. Remove and reserve 1 cup of pasta water when the pasta has 2 minutes left to cook, then, add the spiralized or shredded zucchini (if using) for the final 2 minutes of the pasta cook time. The zucchini will cool the water slightly, so you may need to cook the pasta for an additional minute. Drain and set aside.
- Sauté the Zucchini: In the meantime, shred the zucchini with a box grater and use your hands to squeeze out any extra liquid. Warm the olive oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat, then add the shallot. Sauté for 3 to 5 minutes, until the shallot is translucent and beginning to brown. Add the shredded zucchini and mix well; spread the zucchini mixture evenly across the bottom of the pan. Sauté for an additional 6 to 8 minutes, stirring the zucchini only every 2 minutes or so to encourage some browning. Transfer the zucchini mixture to a plate and place in the refrigerator for at least 10 minutes to let it cool to room temperature.
- Make the Pesto: Add the walnuts, garlic, salt, and chili flakes (if using) to a food processor with a S-blade attachment. Process for 45 to 60 seconds until the walnuts are finely chopped, scraping the sides of the food processor with a spatula as necessary. Add the basil, parmesan, and lemon juice to the food processor and process again until finely chopped. Seal the processor, turn it on, and slowly stream in the olive oil; process for 45 to 60 seconds, until smooth. Add the cooled zucchini mixture to the food processor and process one final time, until a thick and smooth mixture forms; the pesto will have a similar texture to hummus.
- Combine: Add the drained pasta to the pot or pan you used previously and warm over medium heat; add the zucchini pesto along with 2 to 4 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water. Use tongs to mix well, adding more pasta water as necessary to create a thick sauce. Continue to mix until the noodles are evenly coated.
- Serve: Divide the pasta among serving plates and serve warm, topped with extra parmesan, chili flakes, basil, or as desired. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Recipe Notes
- Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free pasta to make this recipe gluten-free.
- Nut-Free: Swap the walnuts for equal parts pumpkin seeds (pepitas) to make this recipe nut-free
We have very large zucchinis on our farm – how much zucchini is a medium and 1 zucchini in this recipe.
Recipe looks amazing, love your cookbook.
Thanks for all the great recipes,
Barb
it really depends how large, but I’d guess about 1/2 to 3/4 of the large zucchini you have!