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    Home » Recipes » Delicious Vegan Dinner Recipes

    Easy Vegan Zucchini Pasta

    Published: Jul 13, 2023 · Modified: Jan 31, 2025 by Megan Calipari · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

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    This Vegan Zucchini Pasta recipe is easy, full of flavor and perfect for weeknights! Its creamy, bright and is topped with delicious toasted garlic breadcrumbs.

    Jump to Recipe

    This pasta is the perfect weeknight recipe. Its full of flavor, veggies and the toasted garlic bread crumbs take it to the next level. This recipe is sure to make it into your weeknight rotation- especially for zucchini season!

    vegan zucchini pasta on a tan plate garnished with basil.
    This Vegan Zucchini Pasta is easy and delicious.

    Ingredients

    Spaghetti: While I'm usually a rigatoni person, I love spaghetti for my Miso Butter Pasta and this pasta! My favorite brand is DeCecco.

    Zucchini: It wouldn't be Vegan Zucchini Pasta without zucchini. Slice a big zucchini thinly, for this pasta.

    Extra Virgin Olive Oil: For sautéing.

    Shallot: You can also use a small onion if you can't find a shallot.

    Garlic: For extra flavor.

    Green Olives: I recommend Manzanilla or Cerignola. Castelvetrano olives will also work!

    Lemon Zest and Juice: To brighten this dish up.

    Vegan Parmesan: The vegan parmesan melts with the pasta water to make a creamy sauce.

    Basil: To garnish.

    Garlic Toasted Bread Crumbs: These are super flavorful and crispy. The perfect texture contrast!

    a fork twirling spaghetti onto it
    This dish is perfect for weeknights.

    Garlic Toasted Bread Crumbs

    The toasted garlic bread crumbs are so easy to make and really level this Vegan Zucchini Pasta recipe up.

    And you don't need an extra pan!

    Make them first, then wipe the pan and make the rest of the pasta in the same pan.

    To make them, simply combine olive oil, minced garlic and breadcrumbs over medium heat until the breadcrumbs start to brown.

    Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a small bowl until the end!

    Toasted garlic breadcrumbs in a small bowl
    The breadcrumbs level this dish up!

    Method

    This Vegan Zucchini Pasta is easy and quick, so make sure you have all of the ingredients ready.

    Start by sautéing the zucchini. Once its browned and beginning to become translucent

    Then, add the pasta to salted boiling water. By the time its done, it should be the perfect time to add it into the pan.

    Next, sweat the shallot in olive oil until it starts the become translucent. Then add the garlic.

    Now, add the chopped olives, lemon zest and juice and a pinch of crushed red pepper flake.

    Once the pasta is al dente, reserve ½ cup of pasta water and drain the pasta.

    Then, add the pasta, pasta water and vegan parmesan to the pan, tossing until the sauce has thickened and starts to cling to the pasta, about 2-3 minutes.

    Remove from heat and add the basil.

    Plate up the Vegan Zucchini Pasta, and top with plenty of garlic breadcrumbs.

    Browned zucchini in a skillet
    Sauté the zucchini
    adding olives into the pan
    Then cook the shallot, garlic, lemon and olives
    the zucchini mixture in a skillet
    And add the zucchini back into the pan before the pasta

    The Best Vegan Parmesan

    The only vegan parmesan I recommend is Follow Your Heart brand.

    But, if you know you like another brand, use it here! I Follow Your Heart is just the only one I personally like and purchase.

    Top Recipe Tip

    When sautéing the zucchini, put it into the hot pan and don't move it in the first couple minutes so the zucchini can get nice and brown from contact with the pan.

    Browned veggies have more flavor, so this will add an extra layer of flavor to the pasta.

    Close up of vegan zucchini pasta on a plate
    Look at those textures!

    Reserve Pasta Water for a Creamier Sauce

    Before straining the pasta, reserve some pasta water to add to create the sauce.

    Pasta water has starch from the pasta, so it will thicken the sauce and help it cling to the spaghetti.

    It will make the sauce for this Vegan Zucchini Pasta creamy and delicious!

    Storage

    To store this Vegan Zucchini Pasta, place it into a container with a tight-fitting lid and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

    I do not recommend freezing this recipe.

    A fork with a bite of vegan zucchini pasta on it
    The perfect bite.

    Looking for More Easy Pasta Recipes?

    Creamy Tomato Pasta

    Vegan Sausage Pasta with Broccolini

    Vegan Creamy Tahini Pasta

    Pasta Primavera by: Ambitious Kitchen

    📖 Recipe

    A plate of vegan zucchini pasta wuth a gold fork next to it

    Vegan Zucchini Pasta

    Megan Calipari
    This Vegan Zucchini Pasta recipe is easy, full of flavor and perfect for weeknights! Its creamy, bright and is topped with delicious toasted garlic breadcrumbs.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    Total Time 40 minutes mins
    Course Dinner
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 3 Servings
    Calories 571 kcal

    Equipment

    • 1 Large Skillet
    • 1 Large Pasta Pot
    • 1 Cutting Board
    • 1 Chefs Knife
    • 1 Microplane
    • Measuring Cups and Spoons

    Ingredients
      

    For the Garlic Toasted Bread Crumbs

    • 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
    • 1 Large Clove of Garlic, minced
    • ½ Cup Breadcrumbs
    • Pinch of Salt and Black Pepper

    For the Pasta

    • 8 oz Spaghetti
    • 2 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided
    • 8 oz Zucchini, sliced into ⅛" rounds This is one large zucchini
    • 1 Large Shallot, sliced or a small onion
    • 1 Large Clove of Garlic, Minced
    • ⅓ Cup Green Olives, drained and roughly chopped
    • Zest of 1 Lemon
    • 2 ½ tablespoon Lemon Juice
    • Pinch Red Pepper Flakes
    • ½ Cup Vegan Parmesan
    • ½ Cup Basil, thinly sliced
    • Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

    Instructions
     

    • Full a large pasta pot with water and bring it to a boil.

    Make the Bread Crumbs

    • Meanwhile in a large 12" over medium heat skillet make the breadcrumbs. Combine extra virgin olive oil, minced garlic and the bread crumbs and stir occasionally until they are lightly browned and toasted, about 3 minutes.
      1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 1 Large Clove of Garlic, minced, ½ Cup Breadcrumbs, Pinch of Salt and Black Pepper
    • Transfer the toasted bread crumbs to a small bowl and set aside, wipe the skillet and return it to the stove.

    Sauté the Zucchini

    • Return the pan used to make the bread crumbs to medium meat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the sliced zucchini and season with a pinch of salt and black pepper.
      2 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided, 8 oz Zucchini, sliced into ⅛" rounds
    • Don't move the zucchini for 2 minutes to allow it to brown, then flip it and continue cooking until it starts to look translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
    • Remove the zucchini from the pan and onto a small plate or bowl.
    • Return the skillet to the stove.

    Cook the Spaghetti

    • Cook the spaghetti in salted water until al dente.
      8 oz Spaghetti

    Finish the Pasta

    • While the spaghetti cooks, add one tablespoon of olive oil into the skillet over medium head and add the shallot. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and cook until softened, about 3 minutes.
      2 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided, 1 Large Shallot, sliced, Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
    • Add garlic and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
      1 Large Clove of Garlic, Minced
    • Add chopped olives, lemon zest, lemon juice and a pinch of crushed red pepper flake and cook for 1 minute.
      ⅓ Cup Green Olives, drained and roughly chopped, Zest of 1 Lemon, 2 ½ tablespoon Lemon Juice, Pinch Red Pepper Flakes
    • Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, then drain the spaghetti.
    • Into the skillet, add the spaghetti, pasta water and vegan parmesan. Cook, using tongs to toss everything together until the sauce clings to the pasta, about 2 minutes.
      ½ Cup Vegan Parmesan
    • Remove from heat and top with basil and toss once more.
      ½ Cup Basil, thinly sliced
    • Serve and top each plate with plenty of garlic breadcrumbs.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1ServingCalories: 571kcalCarbohydrates: 74gProtein: 13gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gSodium: 510mgPotassium: 217mgFiber: 4gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 1IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 50mgIron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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