Who said that pasta with zucchini is only a summer dish? With this creamy and tasty recipe, you can bring the taste of summer to your table even on the grayest autumn days! The best part is that it’s made with simple and genuine ingredients that we almost always have at home: zucchini, peppers, a bit of onion, and good cheese (I used Bitto, but you can choose any cheese you like!). But beware, this is not the usual pasta with zucchini… I have a little secret, an unexpected ingredient that will give the dish an irresistible touch of flavor. Curious? Keep reading and you’ll find out! Zucchini and peppers, sautéed and made irresistibly creamy, go perfectly with the cheese, creating a vegetarian main course that will conquer every palate. An easy and quick recipe, perfect for those seeking comforting food without giving up lightness. Ready to warm your heart (and belly) with a pasta dish that smells of sun and good things?
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Very Cheap
- Rest time: 10 Minutes
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Boiling, Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer and Autumn, Summer, Autumn
- Energy 398.77 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 78.23 (g) of which sugars 12.62 (g)
- Proteins 15.55 (g)
- Fat 3.19 (g) of which saturated 0.23 (g)of which unsaturated 0.45 (g)
- Fibers 6.64 (g)
- Sodium 302.75 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 360 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 14 oz Sardinian gnocchetti
- 9 oz cherry tomatoes
- 2 zucchini
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 yellow onion
- 1 tbsp miso
- 1 drizzle extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 pinch black pepper
- to taste coarse salt
Tools
- 1 Frying Pan Home
- 1 Pot Vier
Steps
Let’s prepare the ingredients: wash and trim the zucchini, cutting them into not-too-thin slices. Wash the pepper, remove the stem, seeds, and white filaments, and slice it into strips. Peel and chop the onion. Wash the cherry tomatoes and cut them in half. Finally, cube the cheese you chose for our recipe (Bitto, Fontina, or another cheese of your choice) and set it aside.
In a large pan, pour a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and add a clove of garlic in its skin and a sprig of rosemary. Heat the oil over a very low flame to infuse the garlic and rosemary without burning them. Add the chopped onion and let it soften slowly, stirring occasionally. Then add the zucchini slices and pepper strips. To stew the vegetables without burning the onion, add a little water. Let everything simmer for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until the water has reduced. Remove the garlic and rosemary.
At this point, incorporate a tablespoon of miso into our sauté, adding a bit of water if necessary to dissolve and mix it well with the other ingredients. Then, take our immersion blender and blend everything directly in the pan. However, remember not to blend everything completely! Leave some pieces of zucchini and pepper intact, along with some chopped onion, to give the sauce a rustic texture that is pleasing to the palate.
Add the halved cherry tomatoes and continue cooking for about ten minutes over a low flame, stirring gently from time to time. The goal is to blend all the ingredients well while keeping the cherry tomatoes firm and crunchy.
While our sauce simmers over low heat, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta of your choice. Meanwhile, keep half a ladle of cooking water handy: we’ll need it to mix the pasta.
Drain the pasta al dente and transfer it directly into the pan with the sauce. Add the cubed cheese and the half ladle of cooking water, then stir vigorously until the cheese is completely melted and everything becomes creamy, stringy, and irresistible.
Before serving, let the pasta rest for about ten minutes so the flavors blend perfectly.
Here we are at the moment to enjoy our pasta with zucchini and peppers: a creamy vegetarian recipe.
Take some deep plates and serve the Sardinian gnocchetti with their creamy and fragrant sauce. You can add a touch of color with a few fresh basil leaves torn by hand. If you like, you can also sprinkle with a pinch of freshly ground black pepper.
Bring the steaming plates to the table and enjoy your pasta. Bon appétit to everyone!
Here are some tips to make your pasta with zucchini and peppers even better and to store it at its best:
Tips:
Quality of Ingredients: Use fresh and seasonal vegetables for a more intense flavor. Choose firm zucchini and fleshy peppers with bright colors.
Cooking Vegetables: Do not overcook the vegetables; they should remain slightly crunchy. To prevent them from burning, you can add a bit of pasta cooking water during cooking.
Creaminess: To make the dish even creamier, you can blend part of the sauce with an immersion blender.
Cheese: Experiment with different cheeses to find the one you prefer. Besides Bitto, you can try Pecorino, Grana Padano, Ricotta Salata, or other semi-hard or soft cheeses. Spices and flavors:
Add spices or herbs to personalize the dish’s flavor. You can use fresh basil, parsley, oregano, mint, or chili pepper.
Plating: Pay attention to plating the dish by adding a few fresh basil leaves or a drizzle of raw extra virgin olive oil.
Storage:
Pasta with zucchini and peppers can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 days. When you want to eat it, you can reheat it in a pan with a bit of oil or some cooking water, or in the microwave. If you want to freeze the pasta, do so without adding the cheese. Once defrosted, you can reheat it in a pan and add the cheese at the end of cooking. I hope these tips are helpful to you!
Bon appétit!
For your pasta with zucchini and peppers, creamy vegetarian recipe, I suggest a still white wine, fresh and savory, that pairs well with the delicacy of the vegetables and the creaminess of the dish.
Wine to pair with pasta with zucchini and peppers creamy vegetarian recipe:
Here are some options:
Italian wines:
Vermentino di Sardegna: a wine with an intense and fruity aroma, with notes of white flowers and citrus, and a fresh, savory taste with a pleasant mineral note.
Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi: a wine with aromas of white-fleshed fruit, wildflowers, and herbs, and a fresh, savory, and harmonious taste.
Grechetto di Todi: a wine with floral and fruity aromas, with notes of citrus and almond, and a fresh, savory, and persistent taste.
Fiano di Avellino: a wine with aromas of white-fleshed fruit, acacia flowers, and hazelnut, and an elegant, fresh, and mineral taste.
French wines:
Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire: a wine with notes of citrus, tropical fruit, and herbs, and a fresh, savory taste with good acidity.
Chablis: a Chardonnay from Burgundy, with aromas of white flowers, citrus, and flint, and a mineral, fresh taste with good structure.
Tips:
Serve the wine chilled, at a temperature of about 50-54°F.
If you’re using a cheese with an intense flavor, like Pecorino, you can choose a wine with more structure and aroma, like a Vermentino di Gallura or a Fiano di Avellino.
If you add spices or herbs to the dish, like basil or mint, you can opt for a wine with more intense aromatic notes, like a Sauvignon Blanc or a Gewürztraminer. Cheers! 🥂
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
I made the pasta with zucchini and peppers following your recipe, but it came out a bit dry. How can I make it creamier?
To make the pasta creamier, I recommend using the cooking water. When you drain the pasta, save some of it and add it to the sauce little by little, mixing well until you achieve the desired consistency.
To make the pasta creamier, I recommend using the cooking water. When you drain the pasta, save some of it and add it to the sauce little by little, mixing well until you achieve the desired consistency.
