Spaghetti with Zucchini, just because the simplest dishes are the best! Oven frying zucchini brings out its natural sweetness, therefore this recipe requires no frying! Stir in fresh basil and garlic, serve topped with lots of freshly grated cheese and you have the perfect dinner!
Famously known as spaghetti alla nerano created in the town of Nerano located on the Amalfi coast, my mom's version of spaghetti with zucchini or spaghetti ca' cuccuzza as we call it is so easy to make. That's because my mom oven roasts her zucchini instead of frying.
This results in incomparable delicious, golden, slightly crisp and ever so sweet zucchini. You'll never know it wasn't fried!
And trust me when I say that you'll be tempted to eat the zucchini before your pasta is ready so I strongly recommend you make extra!
Why does oven frying zucchini work?
- No mess! No frying means no splattering hot oil to deal with.
- This method is hassle free. Just place your sliced zucchini on baking sheets, brush with olive oil, place them in the oven and forget about them for 30 minutes. No flipping necessary!
- Oven frying at a higher temperature (400 degrees F) results in golden and slightly crisp zucchini and brings out the natural sweetness of the zucchini.
The following are step by step instructions with images to guide you through this recipe. Please scroll to the end of this post for the detailed printable recipe card.
Step by Step Instructions
Choose the perfect zucchini for this dish:
Avoid choosing zucchini that are too large. They tend to be less tender and have too many seeds in the center.
I also prefer lighter green zucchini as I find the darker skinned ones bitter.
Oven fry the zucchini:
Slice zucchini into thin rounds, approximately ¼ inch thick.
Lay the zucchini rounds, without overlapping them, on 2 generously greased (with olive oil) baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Brush the zucchini with more olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt.
Bake for 30 minutes in a 400 degrees F preheated oven. The result is these beautiful golden and slightly crisp zucchini slices. 
Warning: at this point you will be tempted to simply devour them right out of the pan! But if you can be patient for just a few more minutes you'll have the perfect pasta dinner.
All you have to do next is boil spaghetti until al dente. Reserve some of the cooking water in a mug. Drain the pasta, return to the pot and toss the oven fried zucchini, fresh basil leaves and a clove of crushed garlic that you will remove before serving. Add black pepper, as desired.
Add cooking water as needed to help bind the sauce to the pasta. Stir in some grated Parmigiano to create a creamier texture.
Serve hot with lots of freshly grated Parmigiano or Pecorino Romano cheese (or a combination of both as I prefer) and enjoy!
Tips and suggestions:
- My mother always makes this recipe with spaghetti, however you may substitute with a pasta shape of your choice.
- The recipe calls for ½ cup of olive oil. This is approximate and the final dish may require some extra oil to coat the pasta.
- Just make sure each piece of zucchini is sufficiently coated. If the zucchini rounds dry out while roasting, brush with extra olive oil. Just like Italian nonnas say, the quantity of olive oil necessary will be quanto ci vuole!
- I do not sauté the garlic before adding it to the pasta. Simply crush a clove of garlic, stir it into the pot along with the pasta and zucchini and discard before serving. The whole dish is infused with a mild garlic flavor.
If you try out this amazing recipe, please let me know how much you enjoyed it by rating it in the recipe card below. Feel free to Pin it for later. Buon appetito!
Here are more delicious and easy pasta dishes for you to check out!
- Pasta with Ricotta
- Pasta with Chickpeas in Tomato Sauce
- Pasta with Green Beans in Tomato Sauce
- Sicilian Cucuzza with Pasta
- Spaghetti Aglio e Olio with Escarole
- Pasta with Fava Beans and Peas
- Creamy Risotto Pasta with Zucchini
- Sicilian Pasta with Cauliflower
- Pasta with Zucchini and Mushrooms
- Pasta ca' muddica (Pasta with Breadcrumbs)
- Pasta with Potatoes in Tomato Sauce
Spaghetti with Zucchini Recipe (No Frying Required)
Ingredients
- 4 medium sized zucchini about 2 lbs
- ½ cup olive oil divided (or more as needed)
- 450 grams spaghetti
- 1 clove garlic crushed
- handful of fresh basil torn into small pieces
- Parmigiano for serving
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Brush the parchment paper generously with olive oil.
- Slice the zucchini into thin rounds, place without overlapping on the prepared baking pans. Brush with additional oil to coat and salt lightly.
- Bake for 30 minutes until tender, golden and lightly browned. It is not necessary to flip the zucchini rounds. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti until al dente. Reserve some of the cooking water in a mug.
- Drain, return the spaghetti to the pot and stir in the cooked zucchini slices, clove of garlic and torn basil leaves. Add black pepper, as desired.
- Add cooking water as needed to help bind the sauce to the pasta. Stir in some grated Parmigiano to create a creamier texture Some of the zucchini slices may break apart, this is normal.
- Drizzle with extra olive oil as needed, making sure that the pasta is sufficiently coated. Discard the garlic and serve immediately with plenty of Parmigiano cheese at the table.
Notes
- My mother always makes this recipe with spaghetti, however you may substitute with a pasta shape of your choice.
- The recipe calls for ½ cup of olive oil. This is approximate and the final dish may require some extra oil to coat the pasta.
- Just make sure each piece of zucchini is sufficiently coated. If the zucchini rounds dry out while roasting, brush with extra olive oil. Just like Italian nonnas say, the quantity of olive oil necessary will be quanto ci vuole!
- I do not sauté the garlic before adding it to the pasta. Simply crush a clove of garlic, stir it into the pot along with the pasta and zucchini and discard before serving. The whole dish is infused with a mild garlic flavor.
- Please note that the nutritional information provided is approximate and may vary according to exact ingredients used and portion size.
Nadia Fazio
My mother's recipe is amazing, all the wonderful flavor but no frying required. You'll be amazed how incredible the zucchini turns out just by oven roasting it. I also enjoy the zucchini just roasted, without necessarily tossing it with the pasta.