Quick and Easy Zucchini Pesto Pasta

Zucchini Pesto Pasta has become our family's favorite quick and easy dinner recipe. It is made with whole wheat pasta, garden fresh basil pesto, and roasted/grilled onions and zucchini and takes about 30 minutes from start to finish.

It's the end of summer and our basil is going strong. I have been harvesting tons of basil and making endless amounts of our favorite pesto sauce. This delicious pesto pasta with zucchini has become one of our favorite recipes.

The Quick and Easy Zucchini Pesto Pasta is perfect for a weeknight dinner or a quick lunch. Serve it with this mozzarella cheese bread and make it a complete meal.

I have been making a lot of pesto this summer. I have frozen quite a bit of pesto this year to use for later. Anytime I make a batch of pesto, I use some and then freeze the rest.

I have experimented with making pesto sauce with different nuts and one of our favorite so far has been pesto made with pecans. I use this recipe to make the traditional Pesto Sauce.

Instead of using pine nuts, I have used toasted pecans and the pesto tastes amazing. Do try different combinations and choose what you like the best.

I have joined my beloved Blogging Marathon group with my new blog and this is my first recipe along with the group. My theme this week is going to be easy dinner recipes. This Zucchini pesto pasta is my first recipe under the theme.

Ingredients Needed

Pasta - I have used whole wheat pasta in the recipe. It is one of my favorites to use because of its nutty flavor. I have used Penne Pasta, but we could use any shape.

Pesto - Freshly made pesto or store-bought pesto, both work for the recipe. I have used my homemade pesto sauce made with fresh basil and pecans for this recipe.

Zucchini - I have used thinly sliced zucchini in this Pesto Pasta recipe.

Onion - Caramelized onions taste great in this Zucchini Pesto Pasta recipe.

Cheese - Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (parmesan cheese) is what I used in this recipe.

Crushed red pepper - This is optional but our taste buds need some heat and crushed red peppers do the trick for us.

Salt and oil - Use salt as needed when boiling pasta and a good quality olive oil to caramelize the vegetables.

Step-by-Step Process

Boil the pasta based on the package instructions. Add salt when boiling the pasta. Drain it and keep it aside.

Heat a heavy bottom pan or a cast iron pan and add olive oil. Add sliced onions and caramelize it. Add salt and pepper when cooking the onions.

Remove the cooked onions in a bowl.

In the same pan, add more oil and cook the sliced zucchini. Add salt and pepper when cooking and remove it along with the onions.

Once the pasta is cooked, return it to the same pot and add the pesto sauce. Mix well to coat the pasta with sauce.

Add the onions and zucchini to the pasta and gently combine.

Add cheese and adjust the salt and pepper, if needed.

Serve Quick and Easy Zucchini Pesto Pasta hot garnished with fresh basil leaves and more cheese!

Expert tips and FAQs

• Cook the pasta adding adequate salt and cook till only till al dente. Don't overcook the pasta.

• Mix the onion and zucchini at the end to keep the texture of the vegetables intact.

• Cheese is optional, but I would highly recommend using it. Cheese makes everything taste better.

• We can add more vegetables like bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, etc.

Zucchini Pesto Pasta

Sandhya Ramakrishnan

Zucchini Pesto Pasta has become our family favorite quick and easy dinner recipe. It is made with whole wheat pasta, garden fresh basil pesto and roasted / grilled onions and zucchini.

5 from 30 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 9 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 29 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Servings 4 servings

Calories 616 kcal

Equipment

• Cast iron skillet
• Pot

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 12 oz Whole grain pasta I used Penne
• 1 cup Pesto I used Basil and pecan pesto
• 1 Zucchini sliced (about 1 ½ cups)
• 1 Onion sliced (about 1 cup)
• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese Add more or less based on your preference
• 1 tablespoon Crushed red pepper adjust based on spice preference
• 1 tablespoon Olive oil Divided
• to taste Salt

Instructions

 

• Heat a heavy bottom pan or a cast iron pan and add 1 /2 tablespoon of olive oil. Add sliced onions and caramelize it. Add salt and pepper when cooking the onions.
• Remove the cooked onions in a bowl.
• In the same pan, add the remaining oil and cook the sliced zucchini. Add salt and pepper when cooking and remove it along with the onions.
• Boil the pasta based on the package instructions. Add salt when boiling the pasta. Drain it and keep it aside.
• Once the pasta is cooked, return it to the same pot and add the pesto sauce. Mix well to coat the pasta with sauce.
• Add the onions and zucchini to the pasta and gently combine.
• Add cheese and adjust the salt and pepper, if needed.
• Serve hot!

Notes

Expert Tips and FAQ's

• Cook the pasta adding adequate salt and cook till only till al dente. Don't over cook the pasta.
• Mix the onion and zucchini at the end to keep the texture of the vegetables intact.
• Cheese is optional, but I would highly recommend using it. Cheese makes everything tastes better.
• We can add more vegetables like bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms and so on.

Nutrition

Calories: 616kcalCarbohydrates: 74gProtein: 19gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 9mgSodium: 725mgPotassium: 390mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 1990IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 229mgIron: 4mg

Keyword How to make Pesto Pasta, Pesto pasta with zucchini, Summer pesto pasta, Vegetarian Pesto pasta

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