Creamy Zucchini Pasta with Crispy Breadcrumbs

The sauce is creamy without relying on heavy cream. Some of the browned zucchini is blended with ricotta, Parmesan, lemon, and pasta water, while the rest stays whole. Crispy herb breadcrumbs add the contrast that the soft pasta and sauce need.

Ingredients

For the crispy breadcrumbs

¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, finely grated or minced
2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil or chopped parsley
Pinch of kosher salt

For the zucchini pasta

1 pound rigatoni
2 pounds zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced into ¼-inch half-moons
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
½ cup whole-milk ricotta
1 cup finely grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons butter
½ cup loosely packed fresh basil, thinly sliced
Kosher salt
Plenty of freshly ground black pepper
1½ cups reserved pasta water

The Trick: Use the Zucchini Two Ways

Blending some of the browned zucchini gives the sauce body and lets zucchini—not cream—remain the main flavor. Leaving the rest intact provides the caramelized edges and texture that would disappear if everything were puréed.

This is also why it is worth browning the zucchini in batches. If the skillet is crowded, the zucchini steams and becomes soft before it develops any color.

How to Make Creamy Zucchini Pasta

1. Make the crispy breadcrumbs

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the panko and cook, stirring frequently, until the breadcrumbs are crisp and golden brown.

Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Remove the skillet from the heat, season with salt, and stir in the basil or parsley.

Transfer the breadcrumbs to a bowl immediately so they do not continue browning in the hot skillet.

*Toast the panko until it is deeply golden, then transfer it to a bowl to stop the cooking.*

2. Preheat the skillet

Place a large cast-iron or heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Let it get properly hot before adding the zucchini. A hot skillet is what gives the zucchini browned edges instead of a soft, steamed texture.

*Give the skillet time to heat before adding the zucchini. Browning begins with a properly preheated pan.*

3. Brown the zucchini

Add enough olive oil to lightly coat the skillet. Cook the zucchini in two or three batches, leaving space between the pieces.

Let each batch sit long enough to develop color before stirring. Season lightly with salt and black pepper, then transfer the browned zucchini to a plate.

Add the sliced garlic during the final minute of cooking so it becomes fragrant and lightly golden without burning.

*Cook the zucchini in batches so the pieces caramelize against the skillet instead of steaming.*

4. Make the creamy zucchini sauce

Set aside approximately one-third of the browned zucchini. Place it in a tall blending container with the ricotta, Parmesan, lemon zest, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and ½ cup of hot pasta water.

Blend with an immersion blender until creamy but not completely smooth. Taste and season with salt and black pepper.

The sauce should be slightly looser than you think it needs to be. It will thicken when it meets the pasta and Parmesan.

*Blend some of the browned zucchini with ricotta, Parmesan, lemon zest, and pasta water to create the sauce.*

5. Cook the rigatoni

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the rigatoni until about two minutes shy of al dente.

Before draining, reserve at least 1½ cups of pasta water.

6. Combine the pasta and sauce

Transfer the drained rigatoni to a wide skillet or sauté pan. Add the blended zucchini sauce and toss over medium-low heat.

Add reserved pasta water a little at a time until the sauce becomes glossy and clings to the rigatoni.

Add the remaining browned zucchini and garlic.

*Fold the remaining browned zucchini into the sauced rigatoni so it keeps its caramelized edges and texture.*

Continue tossing gently until the zucchini is distributed throughout the pasta and everything is heated through.

*Let the rigatoni finish cooking in the skillet so it absorbs the zucchini sauce.*

7. Finish with butter, lemon, and basil

Reduce the heat to low. Add the butter, lemon juice, sliced basil, and plenty of freshly ground black pepper.

Toss until the butter melts into the sauce. Add another splash of pasta water if the sauce becomes too thick.

Taste and adjust with additional salt, lemon juice, black pepper, or Parmesan.

*Finish the pasta off the heat with butter, lemon, basil, and black pepper for a glossy, balanced sauce.*

8. Serve

Divide the pasta among shallow bowls. Top each serving generously with the crispy breadcrumbs and finish with additional Parmesan, basil, and black pepper if desired.

*The crispy breadcrumbs provide the contrast that makes the creamy zucchini rigatoni work.*

Make-Ahead Notes

The breadcrumbs can be prepared a day ahead and stored at room temperature in an airtight container.

The zucchini can be browned several hours before dinner. Refrigerate it until needed, then blend the sauce and finish the pasta shortly before serving.

Keep more pasta water than you think you will need. The sauce will continue to tighten as the pasta sits, and a splash of hot pasta water brings it back together.

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