I recently made this delicious and authentic Italian pasta with zucchini, bacon and tomato sauce. It’s quick, easy, cheap and tastes really good!
This is what a quick and easy lunch or dinner of the week looks like.
It takes 30 minutes to prepare this delicious dish which consists of fusilli pasta with zucchini, bacon and tomato sauce.
It’s super delicious, and is really famous in Italy!
If you want to have a vegetarian version, then feel free to simply leave out the bacon.
It still tastes just as yummy.
Ingredients Needed For This Pasta With Zucchini
These are the main ingredients you need for this recipe.
For the step-by-step directions and measurements, scroll down to our printable recipe card.
- Fusilli or any pasta
- Zucchini
- Bacon
- Garlic
- Onion
- Carrot
- Tomato sauce (purè)
- Cherry tomatoes
- Grated parmesan or pecorino cheese
- Basil
- Salt & pepper
- Olive oil
How To Cook This Pasta With Zucchini
In a frying pan add oil, when hot add garlic, this will give a great flavor to the oil, and let it brown slightly.
At this point add the onion and sauté, add the bacon, cook for a couple of minutes and add the zucchini.
Let the zucchini soften.
At this point add the cherry tomatoes, the secret to a super sweet sauce, and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the passata and cook with the lid on.
Meanwhile, prepare the pasta in a pot with salted water.
When ready, drain the fusilli al dente and add them to your delicious sauce.
Turn on the heat and stir for a minute adding a glass of the pasta water.
Add a handful of the pecorino cheese too.
It’s easy to prepare, plus it’s full of vegetables and tastes super fresh.
Zucchini and tomatoes create a delicious sauce that, when combined with fresh garlic and basil with the addition of crispy bacon, create a spectacular pasta dish!
The flavors are exquisite when you combine these ingredients.
This is an easy and extraordinarily delicious everyday dish!
Of course you can choose the pasta format you prefer.
I have used fusilli in this recipe, but if you prefer you can opt for a spaghetti or a fettuccine.
Below is the full recipe with instructions.
I hope you enjoy!
Recipe Variations
Vegetarian pasta with zucchini and tomato, follow the recipe and omit the bacon.
Use eggplant instead of zucchini.
Eggplant also lends itself well to this recipe; it will be a version of pasta alla norma but with bacon added.
I recommend using ricotta salata, it will give a special touch to your pasta.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you peel zucchini?
No, the peel is rich in fiber and flavor, while it is incorrect to think that if the zucchini is a deep green color, then the peel will be bitter.
See also:
- Authentic Italian Pasta Recipes: 25 Delicious Recipes
- Pasta With Potatoes & Bacon: Quick Italian Recipe
I love this pasta dish with zucchini, tomato and bacon.
The trick with a good pasta sauce is to cook it slowly under low heat.
I often see how many people try and rush a pasta sauce by trying to have it cooked as quickly as possible.
Pasta sauce gets better and better with every minute it’s on the stove!
If there’s anything we can count on at this time of year, then it’s zucchini.
Having some recipes for this summer vegetable is always a good thing.
One can use zucchini in so many different ways in the kitchen.
So when this vegetable is in season, make sure to get creative and start cooking some amazing meals!
Enjoy!
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Italian Pasta With Zucchini, Bacon & Tomato
With just a few zucchini and a little imagination, you can make a delicious pasta with a delicious and hearty sauce!
Ingredients
- 500g of Fusilli or any pasta
- 4 Medium sized zucchini
- 250g of Bacon
- 4 Cloves of garlic
- 1 White onion
- 1 Carrot
- 1 Bottle of tomato sauce
- 10 Cherry tomatoes
- Grated parmesan or pecorino cheese
- 5 Leaves of basil
- Salt & pepper
- Olive oil
Instructions
- Prepare the onion and carrot for the sauté by cutting them into small cubes.
- Wash the cherry tomatoes and zucchini, then cut the cherry tomatoes in half and the zucchini into think slices.
- In a non-stick frying pan over high heat, brown the garlic with olive oil. This will take few minutes, but it'll give the oil a nice garlic flavor.
- In the same pan over medium heat, soften the onion (add salt & pepper). Once soft, add the bacon and let it cook for about 5 minutes. Add the zucchini slices and the basil thereafter and stir.
- Add the cherry tomatoes, which will make the sauce a little sweeter. (Cherry tomatoes always add sweetness to any Italian sauce!) Cook these for another minute.
- Keep adding salt and pepper to taste, or until you are satisfied with the level of tastiness. Tip: I add a little salt and pepper with each ingredient, this will bring out all the ingredients in the finished dish.
- Add a couple of spoons of water, and let it cook for about 3 minutes
- Finally add the tomato sauce and lower the heat and let it simmer with the lid on for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- In the meantime, put the pot on the stove with the water for cooking the pasta.
- As soon as it boils, add salt to the water and add your raw pasta. Important Tip: The cooking water in the pasta is magic, so don't forget to save some before draining the pasta.
- Drain the fusilli al dente and add them to your delicious sauce. Turn on the heat and stir for a minute adding a glass of the pasta water. Add a handful of the pecorino cheese too.
- And our pasta is ready to serve.
- Add a sprinkling of black pepper and a little more cheese. Enjoy your meal!
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 668Total Fat: 30gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 1419mgCarbohydrates: 63gFiber: 7gSugar: 8gProtein: 37g
Nutrition is automatically calculated by Nutritionix - please verify all nutrition information independently and consult with a doctor or nutritionist for any and all medical and diet advice.
