Across Italy · No.60 / 103
Zucchini pasta
Zucchini pasta
Wrung-out zucchini cooks with shallot for about 20 minutes, then joins spaghetti, pecorino, lemon, basil, and mint.
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Meet the dish
A vegetable pasta built from grated zucchini cooked down into sauce
Grated zucchini is squeezed dry and cooked with shallot for 15–20 minutes into a jammy green sauce. Pasta water and cheese attach it to long strands before lemon juice, zest, basil, and mint supply a fresh finish.
Pasta shapes to use
- Spaghetti or bucatini, evenly coated by fine shreds of zucchini
Key ingredients
- Zucchini
- Spaghetti
- Shallot
- Pecorino
- Lemon
- Basil and mint
Follow the cooking scenes
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Step 1: Grate and wring the zucchini
Coarsely grate zucchini, wrap it in a clean towel or strong paper towels, and squeeze firmly to remove liquid. Slice the shallot, chop garlic, and prepare lemon zest and juice separately.
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Step 2: Cook down for 15–20 minutes
Warm shallot and chili in oil, add the dry zucchini, and cook over medium heat for 15–20 minutes. Stir occasionally until dark green and jammy, then add the garlic.
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Step 3: Emulsify before adding lemon
Move al dente spaghetti directly to the skillet and toss with pasta water and pecorino for 2–3 minutes. Lower the heat, add lemon juice and zest, and finish with basil and mint.
What to watch for
- Squeezing the zucchini thoroughly is essential. Excess water steams the vegetable and prevents a concentrated sauce within the short cooking time.
- Add lemon after the cheese has emulsified and avoid high heat. Early acid makes smooth melting harder and dulls the citrus aroma.
What sets it apart
Unlike Nerano's fried rounds, this sauce uses grated, wrung zucchini cooked down slowly and finished with lemon and fresh herbs.