Step 1
Place a kitchen towel in a large bowl or on a large cutting board. Grate 2 lb. zucchini or summer squash (about 6 medium), trimmed, on the large holes of a box grater into towel, then grate 1 large shallot or ½ small onion on large holes of grater into towel. Grate 4 large garlic cloves on small holes of grater into towel. Gather ends of towel together and squeeze vegetables over bowl or the sink to wring out as much liquid as possible (you will have extracted about ⅔ cup); discard.
Step 2
Heat 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a medium Dutch oven or very large skillet over medium-high. Add ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add zucchini mixture (unwrap towel over pot for the easiest transfer) and 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt and stir to coat. Season generously with freshly ground black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until zucchini mixture is jammy, thick, and starting to stick to bottom of pot, 15–20 minutes.
Step 3
Meanwhile, cook 12 oz. spaghetti, linguine, bucatini, or other long pasta in a large pot of boiling generously salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Scoop out 2 cups pasta cooking liquid and set aside.
Step 4
Using tongs, transfer pasta to pot with zucchini mixture (it’s okay if some water clings to it). Reduce heat to medium-low, add ½ cup heavy cream and ½ cup reserved pasta cooking liquid, and stir to combine. Add ½ oz. Parmesan, finely grated (about ¼ cup), pour in another ½ cup pasta cooking liquid, and cook, stirring vigorously with tongs or a wooden spoon and adding more pasta cooking liquid if needed, until a creamy sauce that coats pasta forms, 2–3 minutes.
Step 5
Remove pasta from heat and stir in 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice. Taste and season with more salt and black pepper; add more lemon juice if desired (up to a 1 Tbsp. more). Stir in most of ½ cup (lightly packed) coarsely torn or chopped basil and/or mint.
Step 6
Divide pasta among shallow bowls and top with more Parmesan and remaining herbs.
Editor’s note: This zucchini pasta recipe was first printed online in August 2020. Head this way for more of our best pasta recipes →
