Roasted Zucchini and Tomato Pasta

Main Courses, Meatless, Pasta / Monday, April 27th, 2009

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It’s a little early for the Zucchini Invasion, that magical time of year when people who’ve grown too much zucchini start sharing it with the ones they love. And co-workers, church members and total strangers. But you’re going to need to be prepared. Yes, you could make zucchini bread, but isn’t that just the fruitcake of the summer – something everyone makes and gives but nobody wants? You need something delicious to make with your zucchini, something that will have you looking forward to your co-worker’s relentless bumper crop.

You need something like this Roasted Zucchini and Tomato Pasta.

I could eat this stuff every day.

You start by roughly chopping a zucchini and a few Roma tomatoes and tossing them onto a baking sheet. Add some thinly sliced garlic, and mix everything together, adding olive oil, kosher salt and pepper. Then slide the vegetables into the oven, and prepare your pasta. The scent of the vegetables roasting is unbelievable, but it’s the garlic that gets me every time.

Instant hunger pangs.

When the roasting is done, add a little reserved pasta water onto the baking sheet with the vegetables, and use a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits. Oh, so good. Combine the vegetables with the pasta, add a little parsley and Parmesan, and prepare to eat way too much of this stuff. It’s a perfect warm-weather lunch, light and bursting with flavor.

Seriously, I could go for some right now. Bring on the bumper crop.

Roasted Zucchini and Tomato Pasta

Adapted from “Everyday Food”

Serves 1 to 2

  • 1 zucchini, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 3 Roma tomatoes, cut into 3/4-inch chunks
  • 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 ounces uncooked spaghetti
  • Chopped fresh parsley
  • Grated Parmesan cheese
  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the zucchini, tomatoes and garlic with 1 tablespoon olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Spread into single layer; roast until zucchini is lightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes. (Don’t line your baking sheet with aluminum foil. You’re going to be adding water to the cooked vegetables to make a sauce.)
  3. Prepare the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water before draining pasta. Return pasta to pot. Toss with remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil; cover.
  4. Pour reserved pasta water onto baking sheet of cooked vegetables; scrape with a wooden spoon to loosen browned bits. Stir vegetables and juices into pasta. Add parsley and Parmesan; toss to combine. Serve with more Parmesan.

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22 thoughts on “Roasted Zucchini and Tomato Pasta”

  5. I almost bought zucchini yesterday, too. Nuts. I make a roasted tomato sauce that takes about 14 pound of plum tomatoes and results in about 1/2 cup of sauce. But it's verrry good sauce. This looks easier and just as yummy. Thanks!

  7. So much more fun to prepare for the zucchini invasion than for the swine flu invasion! Looks like a great pasta dish – nice work!

  10. Oh, I'm totally ready for the zucchini invasion. Bring it on. Bring it on the in form of this pasta. How amazing!! I need to go get my hands on some zucchini ASAP.

  13. This looks like a great summer meal! We have 8 varieties of tomatoes planted and 1 zucchini. Only 1 zucchini because my neighbor next door also plants zucchini and we had an invasion last year!

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