When the summer zucchini is abundant from our CSA box, I keep this quick 20 minute pasta dinner recipe with caramelized zucchini in my back pocket for a busy weeknight.
This simple recipe flirts with a mac and cheese like texture, but it’s made from a whipped ricotta. It yields a truly creamy sauce that cradles the pasta and caramelized zucchini in flavors that are oh-so-good your entire family will love it.
The Key to This Easy Weeknight Pasta Dinner
The key to this easy dinner: cooking the zucchini low and slow in a non-stick skillet until almost jammy. This will yield the best results offering a subtle sweetness to this hearty dinner.
Whipped ricotta creates a creamy sauce with little effort. We make the full batch here so we can use it for other meals throughout the week. What to do with the leftover whipped ricotta? Enjoy it on a breakfast toast with honey and grilled peaches or a savory toast with blistered tomatoes and balsamic. Scroll on down to see how just how this is an easy recipe for busy nights.
A 20 Minute Pasta Dinner Made with Fewer Ingredients
When it’s the end of the day and busy nights abound, we need really easy pasta dishes that can be ready in no time at all. This is the perfect dish to fit the bill. Here’s what we’ll need:
- Your favorite delicious pasta shapes: I’m using dried shells here but any of the classic type of pasta will work.
- Zucchini: For summer zucchini, this is a great way to use the quintessential summer veggie. If making this in a different season, you can use roasted butternut squash for fall/winter or sautéed greens in spring.
- Ricotta Cheese: This is the best part of the dish, in my opinion. We’re creating a creamy sauce by whipping the ricotta. I recommend a good quality ricotta. With our short list of ingredients, it’s a good idea to use the best ingredients you can find.
- Parmesan Cheese & Pecorino Cheese: I personally love the combination of cheeses here but you can opt to use either of them alone.
- Optional: red pepper flakes garnished at the end offer a hint of heat that is so good in this dish.
Making this the Perfect Recipe with Caramelized Zucchini
This is one of those quick pasta recipes that’s ready in about 20 minutes. Here’s how we make it:
- First, we’ll start by caramelizing the zucchini. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Season with a couple pinches of kosher salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Cook zucchini, stirring occasionally, until the edges are browned and the zucchini is almost jammy like. This will take about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to boil and cook your pasta until al dente, about 8-10 minutes.
- While the pasta and zucchini cook, prep your whipped ricotta. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade, add the ricotta, a tablespoon of olive oil and half-and-half (or heavy cream), and a pinch of kosher salt and black pepper. Pulse for 15 to 30 seconds until the cheese is whipped like in texture.
- Spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of the whipped ricotta into a large prep or serving bowl. Next, grate your pecorino cheese and parmesan cheese in a separate bowl and set aside.
- Once your pasta is cooked, reserve about a 1/4 of a cup of pasta water then drain your pasta. Add the cooked pasta to the large bowl with the whipped ricotta. Toss the pasta together to coat in the whipped ricotta then add in your pecorino and parmesan. Toss together to combine to create a super creamy, cheesy sauce. Add the zucchini and toss it all together.
- Ladle pasta in bowls and garnish with chopped fresh herbs like parsley or basil. If using, add crushed red pepper flakes.
Cooking Notes & FAQ
This dish is sure to become one of our favorite easy pasta recipes that can be adapted all year round. The whole thing is really versatile to prepare and takes less time considering our use of whipped ricotta. A couple of notes and frequently asked questions:
- How else can I adapt the sauce? Roast a batch of cherry tomatoes with garlic, olive oil, and fresh herbs. Blend them up with ricotta to create a creamy tomato pasta sauce. Toss with the cooked pasta and caramelized zucchini. Bonus points if you want to add some crisped up Italian sausage.
- Could I add ground beef or Italian sausage to the mix? Absolutely! I love crisping up some sausage or even pancetta for this dish. You could also use ground turkey seasoned with your favorite dried herbs and a bit of garlic.
- Where can I get zucchini if I don’t shop at a farmer’s market? Definitely check your local grocery store! Most stores have zucchini year round though, if you know me, I’ll always encourage shopping local stores and even farm stands. Or… join a CSA near you if one is available. 😉
- What other veggies could I use instead of zucchini? This is a great recipe that is super adaptable even with the vegetables! Swap our the zucchini for some roasted broccoli rabe and sun-dried tomatoes for a late spring or early summer option. For autumn and winter, I love blending the ricotta with some roasted butternut squash for a creamy and comforting sauce for a chilly weeknight.
- Would cream cheese work instead of ricotta? I personally wouldn’t use it, but cream cheese could also work. Keep in mind, given the tangy flavor of cream cheese it might alter the flavor profile slightly. If you do try it with cream cheese, let me know how it works out!
Quick 20 Minute Pasta Dinner with Caramelized Zucchini
The whipped ricotta in this quick 20 minute pasta with caramelized zucchini flirts with a mac and cheese like texture but is ready in a flash.
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried pasta shells or pipe rigate work really well here
- 2 medium zucchini quartered lengthwise and sliced into 1/4 inch slices
- 16 ounces ricotta cheese
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
- 1 tablespoon of half and half or heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
- 1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste
- optional garnish: crush red pepper flakes, chopped parsley, basil leaves
Instructions
- Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium low heat. Trim the ends off your zucchini and slice in half lengthwise. Slice the halves in half, lengthwise, once more so you have four long portions of zucchini. Slice the zucchini along the horizontal into 1/4 inch slices then add the sliced zucchini to the skillet. Season with a couple pinches of kosher salt and a few grinds of black pepper then allow the zucchini to cook, stirring occasionally, until the edges are browned and the zucchini is soft and almost jammy like, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to boil and cook your pasta until al dente, about 8-10 minutes.
- While the pasta and zucchini cook, prep your whipped ricotta. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade, add in your ricotta, a tablespoon of olive oil and half-and-half (or heavy cream, and a pinch of kosher salt and black pepper. Pulse for 15 to 30 seconds until the cheese is whipped like in texture. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of the whipped ricotta into a large prep or serving bowl to await the cooked pasta. Next, grate your Pecorino and Parmesan in a separate bowl and set aside.
- Once your pasta is cooked, reserve about a 1/4 of a cup of pasta water then drain your pasta and add it to the large bowl with the whipped ricotta. Toss the pasta together to coat in the whipped ricotta then add in your Pecorino and Parmesan and toss together to combine to create a super creamy, cheesy sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. If you want to add a bit more whipped ricotta, go for it. 😉 If you need to add pasta water to thin the sauce do that here before adding in your caramelized zucchini and tossing to combine. If no pasta water is needed, add in your zucchini and toss it all together.
- Ladle pasta in bowls and garnish with chopped fresh herbed like parsley or basil and, if using, crushed red pepper flakes.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!