Spaghetti with Zucchini, Garlic, and Basil
An embellished version of pasta aglio e olio (garlic and oil), an Italian classic suitable for warm weather but welcome any time you crave a light yet satisfying pasta dish.
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Servings:
Ingredients
- 1 pound spaghetti or other long slender pasta
- 4 small zucchini about 1 pound, sliced
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic minced, or more, to taste
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- ½ cup sliced fresh basil leaves or more, to taste
- salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- ½ cup sliced sun-dried tomatoes optional embellishment
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley optional embellishment
- toasted pine nuts optional embellishment
- vegan Parmesan-style cheese or fine toasted breadcrumbs optional embellishment
Instructions
- Cook the spaghetti in plenty of rapidly simmering water until al dente, then drain.
- Meanwhile, slice the zucchini and set aside.
- Heat half of the oil in a large wide skillet. Add the garlic and sauté over low heat for a minute or two. Stir in the zucchini slices and add the wine. Raise the heat to medium, then cover and cook, lifting the lid to stir occasionally, until the zucchini is tender-crisp. Make sure not to overcook.
- Combine the cooked spaghetti and zucchini in a large pasta bowl. Stir in the remaining oil, followed by the parsley and basil. Season with salt and pepper. If desired, stir in the sun-dried tomatoes or pine nuts.
- If desired, pass around vegan Parmesan-style cheese, nutritional yeast, or breadcrumbs for topping individual portions.
Notes
Especially good when tender small zucchini come to market in midsummer. Use any 2 or 3 of the optional embellishments.
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