Description
This creamy zucchini pasta features a vibrant green sauce made from sautéed zucchini, fresh herbs, Greek yogurt, and ricotta cheese, blended into a smooth and luscious coating for tender fettuccine. Garnished with charred corn, fresh basil, lemon zest, and decadent burrata cheese, it's a fresh and satisfying vegetarian meal ready in just 35 minutes.
Ingredients
Pasta
- 1 pound fettuccine pasta (or spaghetti, linguine)
Sauce
- 3 medium zucchini, sliced (about 4 cups)
- ½ medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 5 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- Olive oil (for sautéing)
- 1 cup Greek yogurt (at room temperature)
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 cup fresh baby spinach (tightly packed)
- ½ cup fresh basil (packed)
- Juice of ½ a lemon (plus the zest)
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
Garnish
- ¼ cup corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
- Lemon zest (for garnish)
- Fresh basil, sliced (for garnish)
- 1 ball burrata cheese (for serving)
- Olive oil (for drizzling)
Instructions
- Cook pasta: In a pot of generously salted boiling water, cook the fettuccine according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta and set aside.
- Sauté zucchini mixture: Heat a few drizzles of olive oil over medium heat in a large pan. Add finely diced onion and cook for about 3 minutes until softened. Add sliced zucchini and minced garlic, cooking for another 3-5 minutes until the zucchini is tender. Reserve a few zucchini pieces for garnish.
- Add to blender: Transfer the sautéed zucchini mixture to a large blender along with ½ cup of the reserved pasta water, Greek yogurt, ricotta cheese, baby spinach, fresh basil, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
- Blend until smooth: Blend on high speed for about 1 minute until the sauce is completely smooth and uniformly light green. Season with salt and pepper to taste, adjust the consistency with additional pasta water if needed, and blend briefly again.
- Return sauce to pan: Pour the blended zucchini sauce back into the pan and gently warm over medium-low heat. Avoid boiling to prevent the yogurt from curdling.
- Add pasta: Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and toss to coat evenly. Add a splash of reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce, then turn off the heat.
- Prep the toppings: In a small skillet over high heat, sauté the corn kernels for about 2 minutes until they get a quick char.
- Garnish and serve: Plate the creamy zucchini pasta and top with torn burrata cheese, the charred corn, reserved sautéed zucchini pieces, fresh basil slices, a drizzle of olive oil, and lemon zest. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
- To keep the sauce smooth, avoid boiling it after adding yogurt.
- If you prefer a thinner sauce, add more reserved pasta water gradually.
- Any long pasta like linguine or spaghetti works well as a substitute for fettuccine.
- Use fresh lemon zest and juice for the best bright flavor.
- Burrata adds rich creaminess but can be substituted with fresh mozzarella for a lighter option.
- This recipe is vegetarian and can be adapted to gluten-free pasta if needed.
