Caramelized Zucchini Pasta

10 minutes prep 30 minutes active cooking 40 minutes total

Makes 4 servings

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We make this a lot in the summer...

it’s a great way to use up the abundant zucchini in our lives, and when cooked down like this, everyone’s favorite summer squash offers a surprising depth of flavor. It’s adaptable too: chopped hazelnuts are a great way to add texture, and fresh cherry tomatoes add a pop of sweet brightness.

What You'll Need

Ingredients

2-4 Zucchini, depending on size (it cooks down quite a bit, so err on the side of more)
2 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus more for finishing
1 Onion, diced
2 cloves Garlic, minced
500g Pasta (short shapes like caserecce or fusili are best)
Juice of 1/2 Lemon
Parm
Fresh basil, to serve
Fresh parsley, to serve
Chopped hazelnuts or halved cherry tomatoes, to serve (optional)

Equipment

Large saute pan
Box grater
Knife
Microplane (for parm)

What you'll have to do

Step 1

Shred zucchini using the “big hole” side of the box grater.

Step 2

Over medium-high heat, heat 2 tbsp olive oil in the saute pan; add the diced onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook until softened and translucent (4-6 mins).

Step 3

Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, taking care not to scorch (1-2 minutes).

Step 4

Add grated zucchini, turn heat down to medium.

Step 5

Cook, stirring regularly, until zucchini expels its water and turns to mush. Scrape up any brown bits stuck to the pan, adding water to deglaze if necessary (25-35 minutes).