Welcome to the first installment of TRADER JOE’S TUESDAYS! All of these ingredients were picked up at Trader Joe’s. Some weeks I’ll use TJ’s specific ingredients, like sauces or frozen foods, some weeks you’ll be able to buy the ingredients anywhere.
This week, you can easily grab these ingredients anywhere. And YOU SHOULD! This pasta is creamy and delicious thanks to the way the zucchini is cooked down in olive oil until tender and delicious. You have to try this with all the fresh summer zucchini (or squash) at the farmers markets or if you’re lucky, growing in your backyard right now!
One-Pot Cheesy Zucchini Pasta
Equipment
- Cutting board
- Chef’s knife
- 10-inch saucepan or skillet
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 medium zucchini, halved vertically, then sliced into thin half moons
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced, divided
- 2 1/4 cups vegetable or chicken stock (or water)
- 8 ounces orecchiette pasta
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnish
Substitutes
- Olive oil —> butter will work here since we’re cooking at medium heat.
- Zucchini—> yellow summer squash also works! Try throwing 1 cup corn kernels in at the end, yum.
- Scallions—> 1 small shallot, minced, or 1/2 small yellow onion, minced.
- Garlic cloves—> stir in 1 teaspoon garlic powder at the end with the Parmesan.
- Pepper—> pinch of red pepper flakes, or omit.
- Lemon—> the lemon really helps brighten things up, it adds a lot of flavor. If you don’t have one, add 2 teaspoons of a light colored vinegar.
- Vegetable or chicken stock—> using a stock/broth adds a lot of flavor, but water totally works here too.
- Orecchiette pasta—> rotini, orzo, or another small pasta shape similar in size to orecchiette.
- Parmesan cheese—> manchego, pecorino romano, or another finely grated hard cheese.
- Basil—> 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, but add them when you’re sauteeing the zucchini. Parsley also will work. A few mint leaves would be delicious thrown into the mix as well.
Instructions
- Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a 10-inch saucepan or deep skillet over medium heat. Add 3 medium, thinly sliced zucchini, 4 thinly sliced scallions, 4 thinly sliced garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and the ZEST ONLY (not juice yet!) of 1 lemon.
- Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until the zucchini is very soft.
- Pour in 2 1/2 cups vegetable stock, scrape up any bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pan, and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in 8 ounces pasta. The water might not cover the pasta depending on the size of your pot – that’s OK!
- Reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered, stirring often, for 12 to 15 minutes or until the pasta is cooked and all but 1/4 cup or so of the liquid has evaporated.
- Depending on the size of the pot you use, it may take more or less time for the liquid to evaporate – if the liquid evaporates before the pasta is cooked, add another ¼ cup of water and keep cooking.
- Remove the pot from heat once the pasta is tender. Stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup basil leaves, and the juice from the zested lemon.
- Taste and season with additional kosher salt as needed.
- Serve immediately, garnished with more basil, a drizzle of olive oil, and freshly ground black pepper.
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 medium zucchini, halved vertically, then sliced into thin half moons
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced, divided
- 2 1/4 cups vegetable or chicken stock (or water)
- 8 ounces orecchiette pasta
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnish
Substitutes
- Olive oil —> butter will work here since we’re cooking at medium heat.
- Zucchini—> yellow summer squash also works! Try throwing 1 cup corn kernels in at the end, yum.
- Scallions—> 1 small shallot, minced, or 1/2 small yellow onion, minced.
- Garlic cloves—> stir in 1 teaspoon garlic powder at the end with the Parmesan.
- Pepper—> pinch of red pepper flakes, or omit.
- Lemon—> the lemon really helps brighten things up, it adds a lot of flavor. If you don’t have one, add 2 teaspoons of a light colored vinegar.
- Vegetable or chicken stock—> using a stock/broth adds a lot of flavor, but water totally works here too.
- Orecchiette pasta—> rotini, orzo, or another small pasta shape similar in size to orecchiette.
- Parmesan cheese—> manchego, pecorino romano, or another finely grated hard cheese.
- Basil—> 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, but add them when you’re sauteeing the zucchini. Parsley also will work. A few mint leaves would be delicious thrown into the mix as well.