Zucchini Mushroom Pasta

✅ 4 reasons why you'll love this recipe:

• Full of flavour - this simple pasta dish packs in a tonne of tastes and texture with buttery umami fried mushrooms and fresh grated zucchini/courgette in a creamy lemony sauce topped with fresh parsley and black pepper. Yum!
• Quick & easy - with just 20 minutes of prep and cooking time this recipe is perfect for a light weeknight dinner.
• Made with everyday ingredients - no long shopping lists and nothing that you won't find in your local store. You've probably got some of the ingredients in your kitchen already.
• Healthy - zucchini/courgette provides a good dose of fibre and vitamin C and mushrooms are one of the few food sources of vitamin D.

🛒 Ingredients and variations:

You just need a few simple ingredients to make this tasty pasta dish.

• Pasta - I often make this dish with tagliatelle but any long ribbon-cut pastas like pappardelle or linguine would work well as can your favourite type of short pasta. There are no hard and fast rules here.
• Crème fraîche - I use light crème fraîche because it gets the sauce to the right consistency and is also a healthier choice for a light weeknight dinner. You can use full fat crème fraîche instead but you might need to add a little more stock if you find the sauce gets a too thick.
• Veg stock - adds saltiness and umami flavour to the sauce. You can also use chicken stock or add salt to taste instead.
• Balsamic vinegar - this is optional, but highly recommended because it adds a touch of additional richness to the sauce. It's worth investing in a good balsamic. The more expensive sweet and gloopy varieties are vastly better than the lower cost types that tend to have a thinner consistency.
• Mushrooms - I tend to use chestnut mushrooms in this recipe. They are readily available and more flavourful than the commonly found white button mushrooms. Portobello, cremini and porcini mushrooms will also work well. Use fresh or dried mushrooms and choose the type that you like the most depending on how much richness and mushroom flavour you want to add to the dish.

🧑‍🍳 Zucchini Mushroom Pasta in 5 easy steps

1. Cook the tagliatelle

Cook the tagliatelle (or other pasta variety of your choosing) in a large saucepan of generously salted boiling water.

Top tip: be sure to add enough salt to the pasta water. If in doubt, taste it. It should taste salty like seawater. If the taste of salt is faint, add more. If this makes you feel concerned about your sodium intake, rest assured that most of the salt will be drained away with the pasta water.

2. Grate the zucchini / courgette

Grate the zucchini/courgette and use a clean tea towel to ring out the excess moisture.

3. Fry the mushrooms, zucchini / courgette & garlic

Place a frying pan on a medium to high heat and add the butter. When it starts to bubble add the mushrooms and fry them until they begin to brown. Then reduce the heat to medium and add the grated zucchini/courgette and garlic. Continue to cook for 1-2 minutes.

4. Make the sauce

Add the crème fraîche. Let it get hot for a minute or so and then pour on the stock. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and black pepper. Let the sauce simmer for a few more minutes and add the lemon juice and zest just before you drain the cooked pasta.

5. Toss the sauce with the cooked pasta and serve

Drain the cooked pasta and toss it in the sauce. Serve immediately topped with fresh parsley and more freshly ground black pepper if desired.

👍 Top tips for perfect zucchini mushroom pasta

1. Squeeze out the water from grated zucchini/courgette - don't be tempted to skip this step unless you want a watery, bland tasting pasta sauce.
2. Don't hold back when salting the pasta water - it should be as salty as the ocean. If this makes you feel concerned about your sodium intake remember that most of the salt will be poured away when you drain the cooked pasta.
3. Add lemon juice and zest at the end - do this just before you drain the pasta to bring bright, fresh and zesty flavour to the sauce. Adding lemon juice and zest too early will mellow the citrusy flavour as the sauce simmers.

🙋 FAQs

Should zucchini be peeled?There's no need to peel it, just make sure you wash it first. The skin is the most nutritious part, so you want to keep it on.

Which mushrooms go best with pasta?There are many types of mushrooms that taste delicious with pasta including chestnut, portobello, cremini, and porcini. Fresh and dried mushrooms both work well. Some mushrooms bring more richness and stronger flavours than others. Consider the other flavours in the pasta dish you are cooking, as well as your personal preference when choosing mushrooms.

Is courgette zucchini?Courgette and zucchini are the same vegetable. Zucchini stems from the Italian word, zucchina and is used in North America and Australia. Courgette is a French word and used by British people.

📦 Storage

Mushroom zucchini pasta tastes best when eaten fresh. Leftover cooked pasta can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheated on the stove or in the microwave.

If you are intending on a make-ahead meal. Make a larger quantity of the sauce, using the scaling buttons in the recipe below to double or triple the quantity and store the sauce in the refrigerator. Reheat the sauce on the stove or in the microwave and toss with some freshly cooked pasta for a super speedy meal.

This dish is not suitable for freezing.

🍝 Check out my other speedy pasta recipes

Pasta is quick, easy and super versatile. With so many yummy options, it never gets boring. If you liked this mushroom/zucchini pasta, you should try these other pasta recipes. They can all be made in 30 minutes or less - ideal for those busy weekdays days when you need a quick lunch or dinner.