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    Home » All Recipes » Dinner » Creamy Zucchini Sauce

    Creamy Zucchini Sauce

    Jan 2, 2022 by Tania Sheff · This post may contain affiliate links

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    For a tasty sauce that's full of flavor, you have to try this Creamy Zucchini Sauce. Made with rich coconut milk, tomato, and garlic, this zucchini dish is absolutely yummy.

    Creamy Zucchini Sauce on a wooden spoon

    Creamy sauce and perfectly cooked zucchini are a winning combination. This Creamy Zucchini Sauce is made with zucchini pieces that have been baked until they're tender and then tossed in a flavorful sauce that combines aromatic and tasty ingredients. Garlicky with sweet tomato, fresh herbs, and a touch of heat from red pepper flakes, this coconut milk-based sauce comes together with rich flavors.

    Zucchini is a wonderful vegetable to use when cooking vegan. Not only is it crisp when raw, but it becomes tender when cooked, making it great for a multitude of dishes. It also has a very mild flavor, which means we can use it in lots of ways because it marries so well with other flavors. Let's take a look at what is needed for this Creamy Zucchini Sauce.

    Video Tutorial

    What you'll need

    • Zucchini. You can also use yellow squash, or a mix of them both.
    • Zucchini Seasonings. Salt, paprika, and olive oil. If you prefer, you can also use another oil.
    • Coconut Milk. Use full-fat coconut milk. I would stay away from the "light" version.
    • Herbs. I have found that the combination of fresh basil and parsley brings the best flavor. You can use either one of them, or both.
    • Tomato Paste. This provides a deeper flavor and some sweetness.
    • Garlic. Can't go without it! 🙂
    • Red Pepper Flakes. For a touch of heat. But you can skip it, if you like.
    • Salt and Pepper.

    How to make it

    1. Cut the zucchini into medium-sized cubes and season them with salt, paprika, and olive oil. Mix well and spread the cubes on a large baking sheet in one layer. Bake for about 25 minutes at 400°F.

    zucchini with seasonings on a roasting pan

    2. In the meantime, pour the coconut milk into a large skillet or a pot. Add the parsley, basil, tomato paste, garlic, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir, and bring the ingredients to a gentle simmer.

    making the sauce for the zucchini in a skillet

    3. At this point, add the baked zucchini cubes to the sauce and stir. Turn off the heat and then serve.

    adding the roasted zucchini to the sauce
    creamy zucchini sauce horizontal shot

    How to serve this sauce

    Mix with pasta. Any type of pasta would work great with this Creamy Zucchini Sauce. Just remember not to rinse it, so the sauce sticks to it better.

    On top of grains. Serve it over rice, quinoa, barley, bulgur, millet, buckwheat, or any other grain that you like. It pairs really well with my Spinach Rice!

    With bread. Just dip a slice of nice, crusty bread into this sauce and enjoy!

    zucchini sauce mixed with pasta

    Pro tips

    Bake the zucchini properly. Make sure that your zucchini is baked through, but does not become too mushy. The baking time may be altered depending on the size of your zucchini pieces.

    Don't peel the zucchini. Since the peel acts like a wall around the softer insides of the zucchini, peeling them would result in a mushy mess. Make sure to leave the peels.

    Don't skip the fresh herbs. Even though dried herbs can be convenient, they lack both the flavor and visual appeal of fresh ones. Make sure you add the fresh herbs for the best flavor in your Zucchini Sauce.

    How to store

    If you want to store leftover Creamy Zucchini Sauce, you can place it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. To reheat, you can warm the sauce in the microwave or heat it on the stovetop in a skillet.

    If you'd like to save it for longer, then place the cooled sauce in either quart or gallon-sized freezer bags, get all the excess air out, and lay them flat in the freezer. Once they are completely frozen, you can then store them vertically to save space. They will last for 2-3 months.

    zucchini sauce in the skillet with vegetables on the backgorund

    This Creamy Zucchini Sauce is a flavorful and versatile dish that can be served as a side or main course, for lunch, dinner, or a snack. It makes a great day-after lunch and is a perfect way to enjoy the healthy benefits of zucchini in a mouthwatering way. This delicious vegan recipe is so good, I'm sure you're going to be coming back to it again and again! Enjoy!

    More scrumptious recipes to try:

    • Vegan Mushroom Sauce
    • Vegan Scalloped Potatoes
    • Spinach Rice
    • Potatoes and Green Beans

    Creamy Zucchini Sauce

    For a tasty sauce that's full of flavor, you have to try this Creamy Zucchini Sauce. Made with rich coconut milk, tomato, and garlic, this zucchini dish is absolutely yummy.
    4.82 from 71 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes
    Total Time: 35 minutes
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 223kcal
    Author: Tania Sheff

    Ingredients

    • 2 lbs. zucchini or yellow squash
    • ¼ tsp. salt or to taste
    • 1 tbsp. paprika
    • 2 tbsp. olive oil

    For the Sauce

    • 1 cup coconut milk
    • ⅛ cup fresh parsley, chopped
    • ⅛ cup fresh basil, chopped
    • 1 tbsp. tomato paste
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • ¼ tsp. salt or to taste
    • ⅛ tsp. red pepper flakes or to taste

    Instructions

    • Cut the zucchini into medium-sized cubes and season them with salt, paprika, and olive oil. Mix well and spread the cubes on a large baking sheet in one layer. Bake for about 25 minutes at 400°F.
    • In the meantime, pour the coconut milk into a large skillet or a pot. Add the parsley, basil, tomato paste, garlic, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir, and bring the ingredients to a gentle simmer.
    • At this point, add the baked zucchini cubes to the sauce and stir. Turn off the heat and then serve.
    PssstYou can find detailed step-by-step photos right above this recipe card.

    Notes

    How to serve this sauce

    Mix with pasta. Any type of pasta would work great with this Creamy Zucchini Sauce. Just remember not to rinse it, so the sauce sticks to it better.
    On top of grains. Serve it over rice, quinoa, barley, bulgur, millet, buckwheat, or any other grain that you like.
    With bread. Just dip a slice of nice, crusty bread into this sauce and enjoy!

    How to store

    If you want to store leftover Creamy Zucchini Sauce, you can place it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. To reheat, you can warm the sauce in the microwave or heat it on the stovetop in a skillet.
    If you'd like to save it for longer, then place the cooled sauce in either quart or gallon-sized freezer bags, get all the excess air out, and lay them flat in the freezer. Once they are completely frozen, you can then store them vertically to save space. They will last for 2-3 months.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 223kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Sodium: 298mg | Potassium: 764mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 869IU | Vitamin C: 50mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 3mg

    Psst! I think you'd really enjoy this Roasted Cabbage!

    More Dinner

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Amanda says

      August 31, 2022 at 3:12 am

      Wonderful recipe! I’m not vegan, but I love coconut based sauces and love zucchini so I had to try! I think it would also be really great with gnocchi instead of pasta or rice. For us meat eaters I added a tube of jimmy dean breakfast sausage which adds even more spice and depth. Thanks this is a keeper!!

      Reply
      • Tania Sheff says

        September 01, 2022 at 7:46 pm

        Thank you so much for the feedback, Amanda! I am glad you liked this recipe.

        Reply
    2. Dani says

      August 24, 2022 at 12:42 am

      I wanted to make some soup for my little because she is sick and I came across this. She loves zucchini and is sensitive to lactose so when I told her about this she was so excited! We are adding sweet potatoes as well so I'll let you know how it goes! Thank you for the recipe!

      Reply
      • Tania Sheff says

        August 26, 2022 at 4:25 am

        I can't wait to hear how it turns out, Dani! Wishing your little one a speedy recovery!

        Reply
        • Dani says

          September 18, 2022 at 6:05 pm

          5 stars
          Thank you so much! The soup turned out delicious! My daughter ate it for 3 days straight💜 The sweet potatoes worked well and I also added some red curry paste for an extra punch of flavor. The soup was a hit! Gramma always claimed she never liked zucchini before and I tried telling her to let me make some for her but she was always stubborn. Well guess who wiped her bowl clean?! Thank you so much. I'm actually making this recipe again today and going to try adding tomatoes from the garden and roasting them and garlic before adding.

          Reply
          • Tania Sheff says

            September 18, 2022 at 6:08 pm

            Thank you so much, Dani! It means a lot to me!

            Reply
    3. Zoe says

      August 22, 2022 at 7:05 pm

      5 stars
      Oh my, I made this with chilli oil rather than olive oil and it brought it to life!
      So good!

      Reply
      • Tania Sheff says

        August 24, 2022 at 4:04 am

        Thank you, Zoe!

        Reply
    4. Carl says

      July 20, 2022 at 10:22 pm

      4 stars
      On its own it’s a little bland.. definitely needs something extra. I liked it better after adding garlic powder extra salt pepper cayenne pepper and cilantro at the end. Definitely a great easy recipe for home grown squash and zucchini. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Tania Sheff says

        July 22, 2022 at 5:57 pm

        Thank you, Carl!

        Reply
      • Sharon says

        August 06, 2022 at 9:15 pm

        I haven't tried this yet, but it does seem like a recipe that you can seasoning to so it's to your liking.

        Reply
    5. Lini says

      July 18, 2022 at 10:43 pm

      5 stars
      I had some zucchini from my garden and needed to use it in some kind of a vegan dinner for tonight. I'm always looking for a tasty vegan recipe and I was pleasantly surprised with this simple recipe. It did have good flavor! I used fresh garlic and fresh herbs which I think makes all the difference. Thank you for your simple, healthy and tasty recipes that make life so much easier and enjoyable!

      Reply
      • Tania Sheff says

        July 19, 2022 at 4:19 pm

        Thank you so much, Lini! It means a lot to me!

        Reply
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