Creamy Zucchini Pasta

The flavor of this Creamy Zucchini Pasta is delicious and simple to make. Using coconut milk as a base, the sweetness paired with tomatoes and zucchini creates a wonderful flavor combination.

I'm a fan of using pasta in meals as it adds a hearty and wonderful texture. Penne pasta works great for this recipe but you can easily use any kind of pasta that you'd like. Adding a bit of olive oil provides a healthy fat as well; however, feel free to use coconut oil or another type of cooking oil in its place.

The ingredients that really set this pasta dish over the top in flavor is the addition of the zucchini and tomatoes. During the summer months, using fresh veggies from your garden or buying them from the farmer's market will add so much beautiful coloring and taste. I tend to vary up the type of tomatoes that I use but I've found that I love the addition of sweet cherry tomatoes.

Video Tutorial

What you'll need

• Pasta. Any medium pasta cut would work here. I used penne.
• Olive Oil. Or your favorite kind.
• Zucchini. Or summer squash. I used a combination of both.
• Tomatoes. Cherry tomatoes work best here, because they are the sweetest.
• Garlic. Use more or less, depending on personal preference.
• Spices. Salt, pepper, red pepper flakes (for heat).
• Coconut milk. Or unsweetened oat creamer.
• Parsley. Or fresh basil.

How to make it

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and start cooking the pasta according to the package instructions. When cooked, drain and set aside.

2. In the meantime, in a large, non-stick skillet, cook the zucchini in olive oil on medium heat, until slightly browned and cooked through (about 7-10 minutes).

3. Now add the tomatoes, garlic, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes and cook stirring occasionally, until tomatoes soften nicely (about 5-8 minutes).

4. At this point add coconut milk and parsley. Let simmer for 1 minute.

5. Finally, add the pasta and stir well. Serve immediately.

Helpful tips

• Make certain to add salt to your water. Many people will want to skip this step but don't! The added salt is what keeps the pasta from sticking together when it's boiling so this is important to do.
• Don't peel the zucchini. All you need to do is wash the zucchini really well for this recipe. I never peel it because the outer peeling is what holds it together and keeps it from becoming mushy.
• Drain the cooked pasta really well. Take a bit of extra time to ensure that you get rid of all the water. If you don't, you'll have a soggy dish.

Recipe variations

• Add in more fresh vegetables. If you want to add in different veggies, do so. I think that adding in onions would be a great addition to this dish.
• Change up the type of pasta. Penne pasta is great but you can easily use this with macaroni pasta, spaghetti, linguine, or other options that you want to use.
• Crank up the heat. If you love heat, add in the heat! Crushed red pepper is a great addition and can really enhance the hot flavoring.

How to store and reheat

If you have leftovers, you're lucky! This means that you'll get to enjoy the taste and flavors over and over again. All you have to do is store the dish in an airtight container and keep it cool in the fridge for up to 3 days.

When it's time to reheat, simply place it in the microwave and warm it up. You might need to add in a bit of oil if the noodles are sticking but remember that a little bit can go a long way.

Once you make this simple pasta recipe, you just might find that you add it to your monthly meal rotation as a hearty and simple dish. Even though fresh veggies during the summer months are great, this Creamy Pasta recipe can easily be made and enjoyed all year long.

More tasty vegan pasta recipes:

• Tomato Mushroom Spinach Pasta
• Creamy Vegan Pasta Salad
• Pasta with Roasted Pepper Sauce
• Angel Hair Pasta