Pasta with Zucchini, Cherry Tomatoes, and Crispy Guanciale (25 minutes)

Pasta with zucchini is the best of summer cooking. A fusion of ripe in-season zucchini and juicy cherry tomatoes yields a sauce that’s light, airy, and begging to cling to a plate of fusilli. From stovetop to table in under 30 minutes and topped with crispy guanciale, this recipe is a game-changer for both busy weeknights and lazy summer dinners on the terrace. Nothing fancy here. Just simple, fresh ingredients and one sensational pasta. You have to try it!

For me, there’s no better season than summer. I love the garden-fresh produce that fills farmers’ market stalls. But produce can be pricey, and eating fresh is a little bit easier on the wallet when you buy in-season. That includes zucchini and tomatoes.

With zucchini, though, it can be hard to know what exactly to do with it. That’s because, on its own, the summer squash has a mild, slightly sweet taste bordering on bland. But when you sauté zucchini in guanciale drippings, something magical happens. You see, zucchini takes on the flavors of whatever it’s cooked with and, let’s be honest, is there anything better than salted pork fat? 

Once puréed and combined with cherry tomatoes that have been simmering, the result is a delicate summertime sauce that’s both slightly sweet and savory.

Another thing I love about summer is the late sunsets. With the sun staying up until 10 o’clock, we tend to eat dinner on the later side. Eating outside on the balcony and catching the sunset has become a ritual.

Eating late, though, demands something easy and fast. This pasta with zucchini, cherry tomatoes, and crispy guanciale fits the bill. There are a few steps involved and timing is important, but the result is so flavorful and inviting. I can’t wait for it to find its way into your summertime dinner repertoire.

Zucchini is a Healthy Addition to Pasta Recipes 

Zucchini is super versatile in the kitchen. Puréeing it, such as in this recipe, offers a great variation on traditional tomato-based sauces. It’s also a healthy alternative to cream-based sauces. There are other health benefits of adding zucchini to your pasta. 

For starters, it’s a low-calorie, zero-fat food. It’s also high in insoluble and soluble fiber, which is great for digestion and gut health. Zucchini is rich in antioxidants and tons of vitamins, and cooked zucchini is particularly high in vitamin A, which may support vision and immune health. 

Disclaimer: Now I’m not a nutritionist, but some of these health benefits may be neutralized by sautéeing the zucchini in guanciale drippings, but everything in moderation, right? That said, if you are watching your diet carefully, you can discard the fat from the guanciale and substitute it for a healthier option, such as extra virgin olive oil.

The Ingredients

I have to confess, I can’t take full credit for this recipe. Some of that goes to Ivanka, a lovely waitress from a quaint Italian restaurant in the mountains outside Sofia, Bulgaria. While on a visit last summer, Ivanka and I got to chatting about pasta (I mean, what else do you do at an Italian restaurant?). Turns out, Ivanka grew up in Italy and these ingredients that she shared with me are some of her favorites. So this dish is my take.

• Zucchini – The star of the show, zucchini’s delicate but slightly sweet flavor makes it the perfect option to lighten up the pasta. The one I used in this recipe was about 340 grams, or around 12 ounces, and yielded a cup and a half of purée. Of course, you can go bigger or smaller depending on how many people you’re feeding. Leave the skin on and chop it into rough chunks. 

• Guanciale – Guanciale is a type of cured pork meat that comes from the jowl of the pig. When you cook guanciale, it crisps up into bite-sized morsels of porky goodness that could make even bacon drool. Its intense, salty pork flavor and crisp crunch elevate this pasta from great to show-stopping. It also renders out a layer of fat that’s great for sautéeing. 

• Cherry tomatoes – Cherry tomatoes pack a juicy, tangy sweetness that balances the rich guanciale. When they cook down, they create a lovely, light sauce that melds perfectly with the zucchini and really coats the pasta.

• Pasta – Great pasta is the foundation, carrying those sweet, salty, umami flavors in every bite. Choose a shape that grips the sauce, such as fusilli or penne 

• Parmigiano Reggiano (optional) – A generous dusting of parmigiano reggiano is optional, but does anyone eat pasta without it?

A note on guanciale: It may be hard to find, but it’s absolutely worth searching for or even sourcing online if you can’t find it locally. If you can’t find it, pancetta is an oft-used substitute that has a similar flavor profile. If that’s not available, you can use bacon. Just know that bacon brings a smokier flavor that isn’t present in guanciale or pancetta.

If you are cooking with bacon, check out my bacon tomato pasta that’s just as quick, easy, and drool-worthy! 

Making Zucchini Pasta with a Food Processor

I used an immersion blender to purée the zucchini. Likewise, you could use an upright blender or a food processor. If you want a more rustic dish, you can skip blending the zucchini altogether and instead add the tomatoes in directly with it. I’m yet to try it that way, though. 

Here’s how to cook pasta with zucchini, cherry tomatoes, and crispy guanciale: 

1. Cook the guanciale. Add the guanciale to a cold pan. Turn up the heat to medium-high and cook until crispy (about 7 minutes). With a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked guanciale to a bowl. At this stage, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Different cooktops work at different speeds; mine takes about 6-7 minutes to bring to a boil. 
2. Cook and purée the zucchini. Using the rendered fat from the guanciale, add the zucchini to the same pan and brown on medium heat (about 7 minutes). Add it slowly to not splash yourself with hot oil. Stir occasionally. Once browned, transfer the zucchini to a food processor and blend until puréed. Set aside. 

3. Cook the pasta. At this point, the water should be at or near boiling. Add the pasta and cook it for 2 minutes less than the suggested al-dente cooking time on the package. Reserve a mug of pasta water. Adding a bit of starchy pasta water makes the sauce velvety and smooth.  
4. Cook the cherry tomatoes. Add the cherry tomatoes to the same pan that you cooked the guanciale and zucchini in and let them simmer on medium heat. Gently press them down after a few minutes to release their juice.
5. Add back the puréed zucchini. After the tomatoes have cooked for about 5 minutes and released their juice, stir in the puréed zucchini and stir to combine with the tomatoes and their juice. Reduce the heat to low. If needed, add some of the starchy pasta water, as well.  
6. Stir in the pasta. Drain the pasta and add to the zucchini and tomato sauce. Toss to combine.

7. Serve. Plate the pasta. Top it with guanciale and grated parmigano reggiano. Serve.  

If you’re looking for more summer recipes, check out this refreshing Bulgarian Shopska salad or this 4-ingredient lemon posset for your dessert!

Pasta with Zucchini, Cherry Tomatoes, and Crispy Guanciale Recipe

Here’s the recipe for this incredible pasta. Don’t forget: If you make it, comment what you thought below and give me a rating.  I’m sure you’ll love it!