Pasta with Zucchini and Tomatoes is 20 minute healthy pasta dinner that is summertime must have! Zucchini and bursting baby tomatoes create a delicious sauce combined with fresh garlic and basil. Then coat each piece of al dente pasta sprinkled with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Quick healthy pasta dishes like penne with broccoli, healthy pasta skillet and spaghetti with tomato sauce save the day in our household many days. Enjoy!
Summer Pasta with Zucchini
This pasta with zucchini is nothing short of amazingness. I couldn’t stop eating it. Give my inner Ukrainian all the garlic!
I got the idea for pasta with zucchini and tomatoes from my zucchini bake. I kept pasta amount low just enough to make the dish filling.
I swear this zucchini and pasta is so good, I could eat it all week long. It keeps your kitchen cool and uses an abundance of produce in season. I always seem to have more than I need on hand.
I’m not usually a massive pasta-lover – that’s more for my kids. But this year I’m really embracing this carb with dishes like turkey and broccoli pasta, Tuscan chicken pasta, a super simple Instant Pot lasagna, and a healthy pasta salad!
Most recently, I also made my kids a healthy broccoli pesto pasta and healthy mac n’ cheese!
Ingredients
- Pasta
- Zucchini
- Tomatoes
- Basil and garlic
- Parmesan cheese
- Olive oil, salt and pepper
9 ingredients and 20 minutes. That’s it!
Plus, consider me officially obsessed with zucchini – Just in the last month I’ve made Caprese chicken and zucchini and this shrimp zucchini stir-fry. Now it’s the turn of this meat-free zucchini and tomato pasta – perfect for serving up alone, with Italian chopped salad or with your favorite protein like pan-fried tofu, grilled shrimp, lemon butter cod, foil-baked salmon, turkey meatballs, or oven-baked chicken breast!
How to Make Pasta with Zucchini and Tomatoes
I will share with you my multitasking method of cooking 20 minute dinners.
Tip: Make sure you use large deep skillet before you begin.
1. Chop Vegetables
I start with chopping all the veggies. All zucchini come in different sizes. Just chop it in universal bite-size pieces.
If you end up with too much zucchini – you can save some for other simple sides like this zucchini bake or sauteed zucchini.
2. Cook Veggies and Pasta at Same Time
Then I boil water for pasta and start cooking vegetables at same time. This way, by the time pasta is ready, zucchini and tomatoes are ready as well.
Cooking zucchini fast on medium-high heat keeps them firm.
Cherry or grape tomatoes are the best for this dish because they hold their shape better than full-grown tomatoes without making zucchini tomato pasta mushy. Cutting them in halves ensures the juices’ release making a base for the sauce.
What Pasta Can I Use?
Use short pasta like fusilli, penne or rigatoni. Whole wheat, brown rice or any other gluten-free pasta contains more fiber and nutrients. Keep in mind it doesn’t hold its shape as well as white semolina pasta. So watch it closely and do not overcook.
Chewy al dente pasta is half of the success to a tasty pasta with zucchini and tomatoes. I add al dente pasta directly from the pot to the skillet without draining. I find once pasta is drained, it starts drying out and sticking together.
For ages, I always made too much pasta. It’s a problem so many of us have right? On the plus side, it meant I had lots of leftovers to make dishes like this healthy pasta salad, tomato pasta salad, or Italian pasta salad.
3. Add Fresh Garlic and Basil at the End
And then I season it all at once with salt, pepper, herbs and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. I like my garlic minced vs. grated for this dish. Basil or fresh parsley. These flavors make pasta dish the bomb dot com. Add fresh at the end. Don’t cook them.
Somehow only olive oil seems suitable to me here. Probably because this pasta is kind of Mediterranean and extra virgin olive oil with deep sweeter flavour fits right in.
Enjoy!
P.s. If you enjoy the Meditteranean vibes of this dish as much as I do – you might enjoy serving it alongside crusty bread and this olive oil dip as an appetizer (delicious!)
How to Store Pasta
Any pasta tastes best fresh. If you happen to have leftovers of pasta with zucchini, transfer to a glass container with a lid and refrigerate for up to 1 day. I find plastic transfers its taste to food.
And I wouldn’t go past 2 days. Pasta becomes too soggy as vegetables contain a lot of water. The recipe can be cut in half if needed.
More Healthy Zucchini Recipes to Try
Still have lots of zucchini to use up? Here you go:
- Crustless zucchini quiche
- Chicken zucchini casserole
- Parmesan zucchini sticks
- Zucchini lasagna
- Zucchini casserole
- Tex-Mex chicken and zucchini
- If you are a fan of zucchini, check out my collection of 30 healthy zucchini recipes.
Pasta with Zucchini and Tomatoes {20 Minute Dinner!}
Ingredients
- 7 oz short whole wheat pasta like penne fusilli or farfalle
- 2 lbs zucchini chopped in bite size pieces
- 1 lb grape or cherry tomatoes cut in halves
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 1 cup parsley or 1/2 cup basil finely chopped
- 1 tsp salt
- Ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook pasta as per package instructions undercooking by 2-3 minutes or until pasta is al dente, cooked but firm.
- While pasta is cooking, preheat large ceramic non-stick skillet on medium-high heat and swirl 1 tbsp of oil to coat. Add zucchini and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- Return skillet to the stove and swirl 1 tbsp of oil to coat, add tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring a few times.
- Turn off heat and add cooked pasta and zucchini, remaining 1 tbsp of oil, salt, pepper, cheese and parsley or basil; stir and serve. Adjust any seasonings to taste and enjoy this 20 minute amazingness!
Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 day.
Notes
Nutrition
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Hello and welcome to iFOODreal.
My name is Olena Osipov. I'm a mom to 2 boys, a wife to Alex and we reside on magical Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. This is our healthy family recipes blog. Originally from Ukraine, I grew up on real food. As an adult, I struggled with diets for years because none worked long-term. Now for over 10 years, I cook easy healthy meals for my family. I can help you with “What’s for dinner?” too.