Creamy Zucchini Pasta
This Creamy Zucchini Pasta is great way to use up your yearly surplus of summertime squash! Quick, easy, cost-effective, and best of all, DELICIOUS, this recipe checks all the boxes for the perfect summer meal!
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 1- pound uncooked pasta
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cups zucchini, roughly chopped (about 2 to 3 medium zucchini)
- 2 shallots, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper, plus more to taste
- 2 cups loosely packed basil, (about 30 grams), plus more for garnish
- 1 cup plant-based heavy cream or unsweetened and unflavored extra creamy non-dairy milk
- ½ cup nutritional yeast
- 2 vegetable bouillon cubes or 2 teaspoons vegetable bouillon paste
- Vegan parmesan, for garnish, optional
- Lemony Pistachio Breadcrumbs for garnish, optional (recipe below)
Breadcrumbs:
- ½ cup pistachio kernels
- Zest of 1 small lemon
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente, according to package directions. Before draining, reserve ½ cup of the starchy pasta water. Drain, but do not rinse.
- 1Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the zucchini, shallot and garlic, and season with the salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the zucchini is tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let it cool at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Transfer the zucchini mixture to a high-powered blender with the reserved pasta water, basil, heavy cream, nutritional yeast and bouillon cubes. Pulse until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
- Toss the sauce with the pasta until coated. Serve with vegan parmesan, fresh basil, and pistachio breadcrumbs (optional) and enjoy!
- For the breadcrumbs, place the pistachio kernels and the zest in a food processor, and pulse until a crumb forms. Heat the olive oil in a small nonstick pan over medium heat. Once the oil I s hot, add the pistachio crumbs, panko breadcrumbs, nutritional yeast, and garlic powder. Mix to thoroughly combine and cook, tossing often, until the breadcrumb mixture turns golden-brown, 5 to 7 minutes.
Video
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