Description
Easy Zucchini Pasta with Ricotta & Basil is a light and refreshing summer pasta dish featuring tender sautéed zucchini, creamy ricotta, tangy lemon, and fragrant basil. The combination of rigatoni pasta coated in a luscious sauce made with butter, heavy cream, and parmesan cheese creates a deliciously balanced meal that’s simple to prepare and perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables & Herbs
- 2 medium zucchini
- 8 large basil leaves, torn
Pasta
- ½ lb rigatoni
Fats & Dairy
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp heavy cream
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ½ cup whole milk ricotta cheese
Other
- kosher salt
- 1 lemon, juiced
- garnishes: freshly cracked black pepper, flaky sea salt, more parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Prepare the zucchini: Trim the ends off each zucchini and cut them in half lengthwise. Use a mandolin to shave the zucchini thinly or slice thinly with a knife if a mandolin is unavailable.
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil, adding a heaping pinch of kosher salt. Drop the rigatoni into the boiling water, stir well, and cook for 1 minute less than the package instructions to ensure it finishes cooking with the sauce.
- Sauté the zucchini: Heat a 12-inch stainless steel pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Once hot, add the thinly sliced zucchini. Sauté quickly for a few minutes until caramelized and tender, stirring often. Season with a pinch of kosher salt.
- Create the sauce base: Stir in the butter and allow it to melt. Add the heavy cream. Fetch ½ cup of starchy pasta water from the cooking pot and add it to the pan. Stir well and bring the liquid to a simmer. Allow the sauce to cook for about a minute until it begins to thicken.
- Combine pasta and sauce: Drain the rigatoni and immediately add it to the pan with the sauce. Continuously stir as you sprinkle in the parmesan cheese. Stir in the lemon juice. Continue stirring until the parmesan melts and the sauce clings perfectly to the pasta.
- Serve and garnish: Transfer the zucchini pasta to a serving bowl. Dollop the ricotta cheese over the top. Garnish with torn basil leaves, freshly cracked black pepper, flaky sea salt, and additional parmesan cheese as desired.
Notes
- An easy summer pasta dish featuring quickly sautéed zucchini, parmesan, lemon, ricotta, and fresh basil.
- Servings: 2 main portions or 4 side dish portions.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 main serving
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 320mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 65mg
