Recipes Ingredients Vegetables Zucchini Recipes One-Pot Penne With Zucchini and Parmesan 5.0 (2) This easy pasta is an ideal way to dispatch that bumper crop of summer squash. Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 10 mins Total Time: 25 mins Servings: 4 Jump to recipe Whether you’ve got extra zucchini or are just in need of a quick and easy summer meal, this one-pot zucchini pasta recipe is what you need. It calls for only five ingredients—pasta, zucchini, garlic, red-pepper flakes, and Parmesan—and comes together in under 30 minutes. Even better, there’s no need to cook the zucchini. Instead, you’ll drain it raw in a colander while you boil the pasta, then pour the penne directly over the squash, which helps to soften and warm it through. We add garlic and red pepper flakes for a punchy boost and salty Parmesan for a touch of creaminess. Simple, delicious, and impossibly easy, this is the kind of laidback cooking that's so right for summer. Easy One-Pot Pasta Recipes to Make for Dinner Tonight Credit: Kelsey Hansen Key Components for One-Pot Penne With Zucchini The zucchini: There's no better time to eat zucchini than in summer when it's in-season and overflowing gardens and farmers market stalls. When shopping, choose firm, smooth squash that feel heavy for their size and are free of blemishes and brown spots. The pasta: Bite-size penne pasta is our pick for this recipe, but you can use any shape—long or short—that suits your fancy. Whatever you choose, be sure to drain it directly over the zucchini, which "cooks" it just enough. The garlic: Mincing the garlic as finely as possible will ensure it's evenly dispersed throughout the pasta. (If you have a microplane, go ahead and use that to grate it instead.) One medium garlic clove will equal one-half teaspoon minced. The heat: A quarter teaspoon of red pepper flakes adds just enough of a kick to this simple recipe without overpowering the zucchini's mild sweetness. For a tamer dish, add a small pinch instead, or leave it out altogether. The cheese: Grated Parmesan cheese blends beautifully with the hot pasta mixture, lending a subtle creaminess and a welcomed salty note to this recipe. For the best flavor and texture, seek out a block of cheese and grate it yourself at home. If you'd prefer a saucier dish, reserve a cup of pasta water before draining the penne and stir it in, a splash at a time, after adding the remaining ingredients at the very end. Why You Should Salt and Drain Zucchini Zucchini contains quite a bit of moisture—in fact, the mild, green squash that flourishes in late summer is 95 percent water! And all that liquid can make recipes—from this pasta dish to fritters to quiche—soggy and waterlogged. Luckily, all it takes is a bit of salt to draw out that water. How to do it: After salting your squash, let it drain in a colander, like we call for here, until it's slightly softened and limp, which should take 10 to 20 minutes. You don't need to press out the water for this recipe, but for others, you may want to consider giving the shreds a brief squeeze to remove as much moisture as possible. Directions Credit: Kelsey Hansen Boil water; shred zucchini: Bring a pot of generously salted water to a boil. Shred zucchini on the large holes of a box grater. (You should have about 4 cups.) Toss with 1/2 teaspoon salt in a colander set in sink. Let stand 10 minutes. Credit: Kelsey Hansen Cook pasta, then drain: Meanwhile, cook pasta until al dente. Drain pasta directly over zucchini in colander. Credit: Kelsey Hansen Transfer pasta and zucchini to pot and toss with remaining ingredients: Transfer both to pot; toss with olive oil, Parmesan, garlic, and red-pepper flakes. Season with coarse salt and freshly ground pepper. Serve, dressed with more oil and cheese. Credit: Kelsey Hansen Variations Switch up the squash: Use another mild summer squash like crookneck, straightneck, or yellow zucchini instead. It'll become just as tender when drained and combined with the hot pasta. Add herbs or lemon: After stirring in the final ingredients, add some thinly sliced basil, mint, or parsley for a fresh note. Some lemon zest and a squeeze of juice would also provide a welcomed burst of brightness. Change up the cheese: In place of Parmesan, use pecorino Romano cheese, which is a tad sharper and saltier, or stir in a few tablespoons of goat cheese for a creamier consistency and a touch of tang. What to Serve With One-Pot Penne Round out the meal with a summery salad like this refreshing melon and cucumber combo, a juicy tomato salad like our bloody Mary-inspired recipe, or this bright blend of crunchy cucumbers and fresh herbs. 5 More Ways to Pair Pasta With Zucchini Corn and Zucchini Orzo Salad Pasta With Zucchini, Mint, and Pecorino Gnocchi With Sausage, Zucchini, and Tomato Zucchini Carbonara Campanelli With Zucchini and Mint Updated by Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds is an experienced recipe developer, recipe tester, food editor, and writer with over a decade of experience in the food and media industries.