Pasta with Zucchini, Cherry Tomatoes, and Crispy Guanciale (25 minutes)
Pasta with zucchini is the epitome 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!
Equipment
- 1 Large pot
- 1 Stainless steel pan
- 1 Wooden spoon
- 1 Strainer or sieve optional
- 1 Cheese grater optional
Ingredients
- 100g (3.5oz) Guanciale Cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) strips
- 350g (12oz) Zucchini cut into chunks Scale up or down as needed
- 200g (7oz) Cherry tomatoes
- 160-170g (6oz) Fusilli pasta
- Parmigiano Reggiano to taste
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Instructions
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 (see note 2). Adding a bit of starchy pasta water makes the sauce velvety and smooth.
- 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.
- Add back the puréed zucchini. After the tomatoes have cooked for about 5 minutes and released their juice, add the puréed zucchini to the pan with the cherry tomatoes and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to low. If needed, add some of the reserved starchy pasta water, as well.
- Stir in the pasta. Drain the pasta and add it to the zucchini and tomato sauce. Toss to combine.
- Serve. Plate the pasta. Top it with the guanciale and grated parmigano reggiano. Serve.
Notes
- While this recipe does require a small amount of prep, I have left the specified prep time blank. The overall prep is minimal and only requires you to cut the zucchini and cherry tomatoes, which can be done while the guanciale is frying.
- If your zucchini and cherry tomatoes haven't yielded your desired amount of sauce, this is where the reserved mug of pasta water comes in handy. You can stir in a little as needed to top up your sauce.