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31 Dinner  |   Jump to Recipe

Garlic Butter Spaghetti with Zucchini Noodles

Good morning and Happy Friday friends!!

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Zucchini Garlic Butter Spaghetti

I’ve been playing catch up all week long after my recent adventures in Tuscany.  Particularly: Halloween and Holiday preparations at the mall, laundry at the house, dinner celebrating Jordan & Jocelyn’s latest cookbook last night, and detailed meal prep each morning to keep me from eating fast food throughout the week (something I’m guilty of each time I come back from a trip).  Dinners have mainly been simple preparations of pizza and pasta plus one evening of homemade, from-scratch green chilaquiles wHipped up by the boyfriend (his mother’s recipe).

One of my go-to pasta dishes that I made this week is my Garlic Butter Spaghetti with Zucchini Noodles.  Two-toned curls of fresh zucchini are sautéed in garlic butter, then tossed with cooked spaghetti, herbs, Parmesan cheese and black pepper.  A final squeeze of lemon sets off flavors.  What I love most about this recipe is that it comes together in about 15 minutes.  The prep work, sauce and zucchini can all be done while the pasta is cooking.  Everything gets tossed together at the end, and dinner is ready on the table in a matter of moments.  Exactly the recipe I need this week when energy is low and I crash at 8PM because of jet lag 😛  Continue reading for the recipe.

Spaghetti

Zucchini Noodles

First, let’s talk zucchini noodles.  Spiralizing is a popular technique right now, because you can easily prepare vegetables in fun, noodle-like shapes to be used in entrees, side dishes, salads or stand-alone.  Spiralized vegetables do resemble noodles or pasta, so they can be a healthy substitution for wheat noodles or pasta.  When making a dish like this one, I prefer to use a mix of wheat pasta and zucchini noodles.  This cuts out some of the carbs, while still maintaining good structure and substance for the sauce.  This is the spiralizer that I like to use.

Sizzling Garlic

Spaghetti with Garlic and Zucchini Noodles

Spaghetti with Herbs

I always have spaghetti, garlic, Parmesan cheese and black pepper at my house, so when I want to make this dish, I just pick up a couple of zucchini, some herbs and a lemon on my way home from work.  During the summer months, we’ve got zucchini and herbs growing in our back yard, and we can also reach across the neighbors fence to pick lemons when needed (shhhhhh, don’t tell), so this dish gets made more frequently.  Although I haven’t tested this recipe with other vegetables, I’m sure you could switch up the green element with sliced swiss chard, shredded kale, baby spinach leaves or even arugula.  They all pair well with butter, garlic and Parmesan cheese.  Enjoy!

Garlic Butter Spaghetti

Zucchini Garlic Butter Spaghetti

Garlic Butter Spaghetti with Zucchini Noodles

by Brandon Matzek
4.67 from 3 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 3/4 pound spaghetti
  • Kosher salt
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 8 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 pound zucchini, ends trimmed and spiralized (I used this spiralizer)
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, you could also use a mix of parsley and basil
  • 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Lemon wedges, for serving

    Additional Parmesan cheese, black pepper and chopped parsley, for serving

      Instructions
       

      • Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Drop in spaghetti and a few big pinches of kosher salt, stirring to combine. Once the water comes back to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and cook spaghetti according to the package instructions. Before you drain the spaghetti, scoop out a cup of starching cooking water, and set aside.
      • Meanwhile, warm butter and garlic in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Cook until the garlic is soft and fragrant (but not brown, 3 - 5 minutes). Add the spiralized zucchini, a big pinch of salt and several turns of black pepper, and toss in the garlic butter. Cook just until the zucchini starts to soften (about 2 minutes).
      • Drop heat to low and add drained spaghetti, chopped herbs, Parmesan cheese and a splash of starchy cooking liquid to the skillet, tossing to combine. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. If the pasta is looking a little dry, add more starchy cooking liquid. You want to add just enough to make the butter sauce creamy, but not so much that it starts pooling in the bottom of the pan. Take the pan off the heat once you're done making adjustments.

      To serve, pile spaghetti on a plate, and top with additional grated Parm, black pepper and chopped herbs. A squeeze of lemon will provide a nice sharp contrast to the rich, buttery sauce.

        Tried this recipe?Tag @brandiego on Instagram so I can check it out!

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        31

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        Reader Interactions

        Comments

          • Brandon Matzek says

            Thanks Brian!! Oh yeah, wine would be perfect here. It hasn’t quite cooled down in SD yet. Hopefully soon :)!

            Reply

        5. beau ciolino says

          Holy hell this looks so good! I love the idea of combining spiralized zucchini with traditional spaghetti, I bet the textural contrast is amazing and also v v v refreshing. Great post, Brandon!

          Reply

        6. Claudia | The Brick Kitchen says

          Sometimes simple flavour combinations are what you need, especially when life catches up and days are busy! I am also a fan of mixing my zucchini noodles with regular spaghetti – I love pasta way too much to replace all of it with vegetables, as good as zucchini are. Love the octagonal skillet too! 🙂

          Reply

        10. Patty K says

          I hear ya about playing catch up after a vacation. Ever feel like you need a vacation from your vacation? 15 minute pasta dishes are definitely my go to meal after a vacation when the pantry has yet to be stocked too!

          Reply

        12. Melissa says

          I can’t even remember how I found this recipe but I just made it and it is so good! I even used whole grain pasta because my family needs more fiber in their diets and you can’t even tell because of all of the amazing flavor put in it! Thanks for an easy but great recipe

          Reply

        14. cynthia says

          I am SO into the fact that you used both zucchini noodles and regular in this!!! I love the idea of zoodles but I’m also so sad at the thought of forsaking my good old carb-y goodness — this is so perfectly the best of both worlds. And with that garlic butter and Parmesan, HEAVEN.

          Reply

        15. Brandy M says

          Now that is a creative way to make spaghetti! I need to do this! I am so sick of the regular way of making pasta this would be SO different and delicious!

          Reply

        18. Steph @ Steph in Thyme says

          5 stars
          This is my kind of weeknight meal. Quick, but full of flavor. I adore zuc chini noodles, but let’s be real…they are no full substiture for carb-y goodness pasta. Combining the two together is brilliant!

          Reply

          • Brandon Matzek says

            Hahaha yes! I’ve tried 100% zucchini noodle dishes, and I always feel like it’s missing something. This recipe solves that problem. Thanks!!

            Reply

        21. Susan says

          I really like that this a mix of real and vegetable noodles. Definitely gives it the perfect heft for a filling meal. Also I kind of love that you can (shhh) steal some lemons over your fence.

          Reply

          • Brandon Matzek says

            Haha thanks Susan! The neighbor’s lemon tree is definitely a bonus! At least until our lemon tree starts producing.

            Reply

        24. cristina says

          Really gorgeous and delicious looking dish, Brandon. I need to dust off my spiralizer and start using it – you’ve inspired me with your garlic butter spaghetti and zucchini noodles. Your images are just beautiful…I think and ebook or cookbook should be in the works with your lovely recipes and photography!

          Reply

        27. Julie Wood says

          5 stars
          These are some amazing recipes! I really like garlic in my pasta and the Garlic Butter Spaghetti with Zucchini noodles is one that I am going to try! Thanks for these awesome recipes!

          Reply

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