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Make this delicious Creamy Zucchini Sauce with fresh garden zucchini and herbs.
Over the last few months – when we had more garden zucchini than we could eat – my husband Jack started testing out a Creamy Zucchini Sauce recipe. What started out as a way for us to use up a glut of zucchini ended up being one of our new favorite zucchini recipes of the summer!
We show this Creamy Zucchini Sauce served simply with pasta, but (especially if you are avoiding carbs) it’s also delicious spooned over other cooked vegetables, or in any recipe that calls for a cream sauce.
How do you make Creamy Zucchini Sauce?
You’ll start by cutting about two-and-a-half pounds of fresh garden zucchini in half lengthwise – then use a spoon to remove the seeds. Next, grate the zucchini (skin and all) with a box grater or with the grater attachment of a food processor.
Saute some diced, sweet onions in a large skillet, then add a pinch of red pepper flakes and minced garlic and cook for another minute or so.
Then, add your shredded zucchini to the skillet, along with fresh basil, oregano and mint. (By the way, this Creamy Zucchini Sauce recipe is a great way to use up fresh garden herbs too!) Simmer the zucchini-herb mixture for about 15 minutes – cooking until the zucchini is super soft.
Add heavy cream and more fresh herbs, then add grated Romano cheese to finish off the sauce.
Toss with your favorite pasta, or spoon this Creamy Zucchini Sauce over steamed vegetables. Enjoy!
You may enjoy these other Zucchini reicpes:
- Zucchini Pie
- Zucchini Relish
- Sausage Stuffed Zucchini
- Salmon with Zucchini and Spaghetti
- Zucchini Risotto with Goat Cheese and Prosciutto
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Creamy Zucchini Sauce
Ingredients
12 ounces your favorite dry pasta
2 1/2 pounds zucchini
3/4 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil
1 cup sweet onion diced, such as Vidalia
Pinch red pepper flakes
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh garlic, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped and divided
4 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped and divided
4 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped and divided
1 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup freshly grated Romano cheese
Instructions
Cook the pasta according to package directions and reserve one cup of the pasta water.
Cut the zucchinis in half the long way and remove seeds and ends. Shred on large holes of a box grater or use the shredder blade of a food processor. Set aside.
While pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium high heat and add olive oil and once hot, add the onion and saute for three minutes.
Add the pepper flakes and garlic and cook one minute then add the zucchini, salt, pepper, half the basil, half the oregano and half the mint. Bring up to a bubble, cover and reduce heat to medium low and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally and making sure the mixture doesn’t stick.
After 15 minutes, remove the cover and add the cream and the remaining herbs and bring up to heat.
Add the Romano cheese and if too thick, add some pasta water to thin the sauce, then serve either mixed with the pasta or served on the side.
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Notes
Note: Nutritional information below includes pasta.
Tried this zuccini sauce with pasta.
wonderful .
Thank you – so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
It is so delicious !!
Thanks Susanne!
It is so delicious !! I loved it.
Thanks Susanne!
I made it! But I had to substitute the zucchini for squash due to not having any zucchini. I was quite pleased with the outcome. I can hardly wait for my garden to start producing
Thanks Susan!
I love this! It’s delicious. I used 1/2 & 1/2 instead of the heavy cream because I had it on hand and it still worked.
OMG I wish I had discovered this before now, a great alternative to red pasta sauce and I think it would be excellent on plain broiled fish with lemon on the side as well. THANK YOU!
You’re welcome Allison – glad you enjoyed the sauce!
I’ve read this recipe over and over and am unsure what I’m missing. After adding the zucchini “bring it up to a bubble”, but there’s no liquid in here yet to bubble. Help!!
Hi Lynda – The zucchini will start to release liquid as soon as you start to heat it, no additional liquid is needed.
I am making this right now … are we really sautéing in 3/4 CUPS of olive oil??
Hi Elizabeth – Just seeing this now…that’s correct.
I made this an it’s yummy but it isn’t creamy like yours. I don’t know what I did wrong. I thot maybe I used to much zucchini. I grated it an then weighed out 21/2 lbs. I have even put mor cream an cheese in an still not creamy looking. Any ideas?
Hi Cathy – It’s always hard to troubleshoot without being in the kitchen with you, and without more of a description of the consistency of your sauce. You could try a smaller shred for the zucchini…or if the cream separated, be sure not to get it too hot after you’ve added that to the sauce. I’m guessing here – hope that helps?
Great recipe! I am using this as the sauce over chicken and broccoli orecchiette.
Thanks Traci!
This was easy and amazing! Everyone in the family loved it. I added chicken and used my immersion blender to make it real creamy. Thanks!
Thank you Loree!
Made this and my husband loved it!
Thanks Sandra – So glad the recipe was a hit!
Do you think that this sauce would freeze well?
Hi Kari – Although we haven’t tried doing so ourselves, I think it would freeze OK – but I would so it before you add the cream. Once thawed, then add the cream and cheese. Hope that helps!