Creamy Lemon Zucchini Fusilloni

This bright and zesty Creamy Lemon Zucchini Fusilloni takes very little prep (only 20 minutes!) and is perfect for days when you are craving a creamy pasta but aren’t feeling like taking the alfredo route! This indulgent pasta dish is packed with mild, summery zucchini for a pop of green and fresh lemon zest to really liven up the creamy sauce. Parmesan is an absolute must here!

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Out of anything else, I have cooked pasta more than probably any other food. In my world it’s an essential food group! I try to be sensible these days since I live with my partner now but sometimes, nothing hits the spot quite like pasta does.

It’s easy to cook, universally loved, and the perfect blank canvas for all sorts of yummy dishes, like this Pappardelle with Tomato Lemon Sauce or this Creamy Rotelle With Roasted Peppers and Goat Cheese.

To make this dish, all you need to do is sauté some fresh zucchini and garlic together with olive oil, add in a splash of cream, parmesan, and lemon zest. Let is bubble gently for a little bit and then toss with hot al dente pasta. That’s it!

Lemon, zucchini, and cream are natural pairings and make this pasta dish a touch more nutritious than your standard alfredo!

It’s a great simple pasta that can be a side dish for chicken or fish, and can be a substantial meatless meal on its own with a green salad and a side of crusty bread.

Ingredients For Creamy Lemon Zucchini Fusilloni

• Good quality pasta – I like fusilloni or any pasta shape with ridges that can hold all of that creamy sauce and zucchini pieces.
• Fresh zucchini – zucchini are abundant in late summer, so this is the perfect way to use up surplus of zucchini lying around! 
• Garlic – the more the better, honestly.
• Fresh lemon – The tangy flavor of the lemon rind helps to brighten up this rich and creamy lemon zucchini pasta.
• Heavy Cream – fresh cream and pasta water are mixed together for a velvety sauce. Use light cream or half and half for a lighter version.
• Parmesan – real parmesan cheese works best as it won’t contain the extra starch that processed parmesan cheeses contain.

Some Tips For Getting The Best Creamy Pasta

Tip 1: Wait to add the lemon zest and juice until the very end. Heat mellows out the taste, so to preserve the bright flavors, add them in at the end right before serving.

Tip 2: Use real parmesan cheese. The starch that’s added to processed parmesan can result in clumpy, stringy sauce. real parmesan melts into cream sauces beautifully and results in silky, velvety sauce with little risk of clumping.

Tip 3: Keep the heat low and slow when simmering cream sauces. High heat can curdle cream and also scorch the bottom of the pan, resulting in a burnt taste that will impact the entire pan of sauce. Keep the heat low, and your spoon moving to prevent this!

Other Flavor Alternatives and Substitutions

• Try substituting mushrooms or spinach for the zucchini – it’s delicious!
• For an herby sauce, try mixing in 1 tsp fresh chopped thyme, chives or a few basil leaves.
• Adding some toasted crushed croutons on top of the pasta makes for something really special!
• Try adding grilled shrimp or chicken on top of the pasta for a meal with some extra protein.

Creamy Lemon Zucchini Fusilloni Recipe

INGREDIENTS 

• 2 tablespoons olive oil (30 ml)
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 medium zucchini
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 1 lb. dried fusilloni or another short pasta, like fusilli, rigatoni or bowtie pasta (450 grams)
• 1 cup heavy cream (240 ml)
• ½ cup finely grated parmesan cheese (45 grams)
• ½ teaspoon salt (2.5 grams)
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (10 grams)
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper, optional (1.25 grams)

INSTRUCTIONS 

• Using a box grater, grate the zucchini. Alternatively, you can finely chop the zucchini. 
• Mince the garlic and set aside. 
• Squeeze as much moisture out of the zucchini as you can and set aside. 
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil.
• Add in the fusilloni pasta and cook according to package directions or until al dente. Reverse a cup of starchy pasta water.
• While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add in the grated zucchini and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes until the zucchini soften. Add the white wine and cook until wine has evaporated.
• Add in the heavy cream, parmesan cheese, salt and reserved pasta water to the zucchini mixture and reduce the heat to medium-low. 
• Let the creamy zucchini sauce simmer for 5-10 minutes gently until thickened. If too thick, add in 1/4 cup of water at a time to thin it out. 
• Add in the drained pasta, fresh lemon juice and zest. Toss everything to combine until creamy and sauce is evenly distributed.
• Top with the chopped parsley and black pepper serve immediately.

If you love pasta, then check out some of these other yummy recipes!

• CREAMY ROTELLE WITH ROASTED RED PEPPERS AND GOAT CHEESE
• PAPPARDELLE WITH TOMATO LEMON SAUCE
• SPICY LINGUINE AL TONNO (LINGUINE WITH TUNA)
• HERBY SPAGHETTI CARBONARA WITH ASPARAGUS
• BLACK PEPPER CREAM FARFALLE
• CREAMY FETTUCCINE WITH MUSHROOMS AND THYME