Easy Zucchini Pasta

5 from 1 vote

A simple and delicious one-pot pasta with a zucchini sauce made with garlic and white beans.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Dinner, Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: Healthy, Italian, Mediterranean, summer

Diet: Low Lactose, Vegetarian

Servings: people

Author: Alicia

2 tablespoons olive oil plus more for drizzling
2 shallots, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound zucchini, about 2 medium zucchini, diced into ½-inch cubes about 3 cups diced
15 ounces canned white beans, drained and rinsed also called cannellini beans
4-5 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth, plus more if needed (plan to use around 4 cups) choose a more flavorful brand, like Bonafide
2 teaspoons kosher salt
black pepper, freshly ground
12 ounces ditalini pasta
3 ounces Boursin garlic and herb cheese optional, but recommended for flavor
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup basil leaves, thinly sliced

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and browned, 5-6 minutes. Add the minced garlic and chopped zucchini and saute for 3 minutes.
Pour 4 cups of broth into the pan and add the drained and rinsed white beans, salt, and pepper. Turn the heat to high and bring the broth to a boil. Use an immersion blender to blend about half of the veggies and beans to create a rich and creamy sauce. (If you don’t have an immersion blender, use a measuring cup to remove about half of the veggies and beans, plus about 1 cup of the broth, and transfer it to a blender. Blend until smooth, then add it back into the pan.)
Once the liquid has returned to a boil, add the ditalini and cook, stirring often, until the pasta is tender, about 10-12 minutes. If needed, add more broth to thin out the sauce. Stir in Boursin cheese, if using. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if desired. Stir in the lemon juice. Serve in shallow bowls with more freshly ground black pepper, a drizzle of olive oil, basil, and lemon zest on top. Enjoy!

Broth measurements - This varied based on what kind of pan was used (wider used more broth), ditalini pasta brands (smaller ditalini used less broth), and boiling time. 4 cups worked well in testing, but I recommend having at least 5 cups on hand, just in case the sauce is too thick.
A note on cheese - Although this pasta is great dairy free, everyone preferred it with added 1/2 round of Boursin garlic and herb, or 1/2 cup grated parmesan. If you do not use any cheese, do not skip the lemon juice.
HYH/low histamine - Use Boursin instead of added lemon.