Zucchini is just one of the several verdant bounties bedecking market stands come spring. While dozens of recipes call for the long cylindrical, dark green squash, there's just something so pleasurable in pairing it with pasta. We know – deviating from the ever-satisfying spaghetti alla Nerano isn't easy, but we have a few ideas. For each, use equal portions of pasta and zucchini. All the recipes are vegan, but non-vegans should feel free to finish their dish with some grated Parmigiano or Pecorino.
The classic pasta and zucchini recipe
Slice the zucchini and brown the slices in a pan with 1 garlic clove, 1 Tbsp. oil, and a pinch of salt. Boil the pasta in plenty of salted water (e.g. spaghetti, penne, fusilli, or butterfly pasta) until al dente, drain it well, and mix it in the pan with the zucchini.
Pasta, zucchini, and saffron
Brown julienned zucchini in a pan with 1 garlic clove, 1 Tbsp. oil, and a pinch of salt. In the meantime, boil the pasta in plenty of salted water – linguine is the perfect pasta for this recipe, but tagliatelle or any classic short pasta variety like penne also works. Once the zucchini is almost cooked through, add the saffron pistils and mix well. Remove from the heat, drain the pasta al dente and mix it with the sauce. Serve with plenty of ground black pepper.
Pasta with zucchini cream and fried zucchini chips
The textural contrast between the creamy and crispy zucchini is divine, just don't go overboard with the fried zucchini – garnish each portion with 3 crispy zucchini chips, so set aside 3 slices per serving at the outset. Prepare the cream with zucchini sautéed in a pan with a handful of pine nuts or almonds, a pinch of salt, a pinch of pepper, and two fresh mint leaves. Boil the pasta in plenty of salted water and, in the meantime, fry the zucchini slices you had set aside. Dry the fried zucchini with paper towels and drain the pasta. Mix the pasta with the zucchini cream and top the dish with fried zucchini chips.