This light and fresh zucchini tomato pasta is a great way to use summer produce. It’s so easy to make which means there’s less time in the kitchen and more time to enjoy warm summer nights. Just 30 minutes and you’ll be serving dinner!
Why we love this zucchini dish
As mid-summer arrives, so do the zucchinis! If you don’t have any in your own garden, don’t be surprised if an overrun neighbor drops one on your porch. Finding recipes other than zucchini bread is ideal.
The focus in this delicious dish are the fresh vegetables. A big bowl of tomato zucchini pasta is the perfect summertime meal.
This simple zucchini tomato pasta is heavy on the veg, light on the pasta, and easy to make. In the summer, our time is best spent lingering over dinner instead of slaving away at the stove.
Ingredients you will need
How to Make Zucchini Tomato Pasta
These step by step instructions are here to help you understand how to make this recipe. Please scroll down to simply print out the recipe!
- Put a pot of water on the stove to bring to a boil. While you wait for the water to boil, melt the butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the zucchini and tomatoes to the pan and cook them, stirring occasionally.
- Once the pasta water is boiling, add the pasta and cook until very al dente, about two minutes less cooking time than the package suggests.
- While the pasta boils, continue cooking the vegetables. The tomatoes will start to break down and their juices will combine with the moisture released from the zucchini.
- Add the parsley and lemon juice.
- Add the pasta and toss to combine. Let the pasta cook with the vegetables for another two minutes or so. It will absorb the light sauce as it cooks.
- Serve the pasta with freshly grated Parmesan.
Expert Tips & FAQs
- Be sure to give zucchini a good scrub, especially if you buy them directly from a farmer. The grit has a tendency to stick to the skin so a simple rinse under the tap isn’t always enough to remove it.
- Grape tomatoes are our choice because they’re bite-sized and only the large ones need to be halved. They cook with the zucchini and as they heat up they burst making a simple sauce.
- While our recipe calls for fresh parsley, basil and thyme would be delicious, as well, or a mix of all three. A quarter cup is all you need so mix things up a bit based on what you have on hand.
- I used bucatini, a thick and long pasta that’s hollow in the center. I love how sturdy it is, but you can use any sort of pasta. Spaghetti, linguine, fettuccine, or even penne would work great.
We hope you enjoy this light and fresh zucchini tomato pasta dish! So, here’s to summer produce, easy cooking, and dinners served outside. It’s such a wonderful time of year.
Check out more of my favorite summer recipes: Mango Avocado Salsa with Grilled Chipotle Chicken, Huevos Rancheros, and BLT Pasta Salad!
More Summer Inspired Recipes
- Summer Vegetable Pasta Salad
- Zucchini Pizza Bites
- Lemon Blueberry Trifle
- Pasta Primavera
- Tortellini Pesto Pasta Salad
- Pina Colada Recipe
- Frozen Lemonade Pie
- Honeydew Lemon Slush
- Grilled Corn and Zucchini Salad
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Simple Zucchini and Tomato Pasta
IMPORTANT - There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Rate It Text ItIngredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 1/2 tablespoons butter
- 4 large zucchinis diced
- 2 pints grape tomatoes halved
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- Juice from 1 lemon
- 8 ounces bucatini or other long pasta
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese for serving
Things You'll Need
Before You Begin
- Be sure to give zucchini a good scrub, especially if you buy them directly from a farmer. The grit has a tendency to stick to the skin so a simple rinse under the tap isn't always enough to remove it.
- Grape tomatoes are our choice because they're bite-sized and only the large ones need to be halved. They cook with the zucchini and as they heat up they burst making a simple sauce.
- While our recipe calls for fresh parsley, basil and thyme would be delicious, as well, or a mix of all three. A quarter cup is all you need so mix things up a bit based on what you have on hand.
- I used bucatini, a thick and long pasta that's hollow in the center. I love how sturdy it is, but you can use any sort of pasta. Spaghetti, linguine, fettuccine, or even penne would work great.
Instructions
- Put a pot of water on the stove to bring to a boil. While you wait for the water to boil, melt the butter and olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the zucchini and tomatoes to the pan and cook them, stirring occasionally. Once the pasta water is boiling, add the pasta and cook until very al dente, about two minutes less cooking time than the package suggests.
- While the pasta boils, continue cooking the vegetables. The tomatoes will start to break down and their juices will combine with the moisture released from the zucchini. Add the parsley and lemon juice. Add the pasta and toss to combine. Let the pasta cook with the vegetables for another two minutes or so. It will absorb the light sauce as it cooks.
- Serve the pasta with grated Parmesan.
Nutrition
This recipe first appeared here on June 14, 2017.
Amanda Davis
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Marilyn says
I was looking for a recipe to use zucchini and grape tomatoes. This dish with these simple ingredients was delicious and received rave reviews. The only change that I made was to add a little pasta water to make it a little saucier. Used fettucine because it was what I had. My family absolutely loved this and it was nice to add a meatless meal to my repertoire.. Thank you!