The pasta with zucchini pesto is a light and simple first course to prepare, a delicious alternative to classic Genoese pesto and other similar sauces, such as Trapani pesto, asparagus pesto, or aubergine pesto. With its delicate and fragrant flavor, pasta with zucchini pesto is perfect for a summer lunch and is also fairly quick to make. In many recipes, zucchini pesto is made using raw zucchini, a method I would like to try someday. This time, however, I opted for a different approach: I made the zucchini pesto with zucchini quickly sautéed in a pan with a drizzle of oil, then blended into a cream in the mixer with almonds and various aromatic herbs. Among these, mint is certainly the ingredient that gives zucchini pesto its characteristic flavor, making it a fresh and pleasant dish even on the hottest days. Zucchini pesto can be used to dress any type of pasta, whether fresh or dried. Personally, I chose simple penne rigate, which go perfectly with the creaminess and delicate taste of this summer sauce.
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- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Very Affordable
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4 People
- Cooking methods: Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer, and Fall
Ingredients for Pasta with Zucchini Pesto
- 12.7 oz pasta (for me gluten-free)
- 10.6 oz zucchini
- 1.76 oz blanched almonds
- A few leaves mint
- A few leaves basil
- 1 pinch salt
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons pecorino romano (grated)
Tools
- 1 Pan non-stick
- 1 Mixer
- 1 Pot
How to Make Pasta with Zucchini and Almond Pesto
To prepare the zucchini pesto, wash and trim the zucchini, then cut them into fairly small cubes (1). Place the almonds in a non-stick pan without any seasoning and toast them for about a minute over high heat, stirring often to avoid burning them. Remove them from the heat and set them aside.
In the same pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil, then sauté the zucchini for 4-5 minutes (2) until they are slightly golden (3). Salt them and let them cool.
Put a pot with plenty of water on the stove, and when it boils, add the pasta. Place the almonds in a mixer and chop them finely (4); add a pinch of salt, the mint, the basil (5), and the zucchini (6), then give a first blend.
Add the pecorino and 2 tablespoons of oil (7) and blend again until you get a rather creamy mixture (8) (I like it when the zucchini pieces are still recognizable, but if you want, you can blend a little more for a more homogeneous cream color).
Add 3 or 4 tablespoons of pasta cooking water, which, rich in starch, will give your zucchini pesto a creamier consistency without the need for excessive oil; mix well with a spoon to blend it with the pesto (9).
Drain the pasta and dress it in a salad bowl with the zucchini pesto, mixing it well. If necessary, dilute it with a little more cooking water. Serve the pasta with zucchini pesto immediately, garnished with mint and basil leaves.
Storage
You can store zucchini pesto in the refrigerator, sealed in a glass jar, for 3 days. To store it longer, you can freeze it.
Tips and Variations
You can replace the almonds, in whole or in part, with pine nuts.
