This Mushroom Zucchini Pasta is a simple dish with absolutely amazing flavor and a great way to get some veggies into your diet. On the table in just 20 minutes for a great weeknight dinner option.
Quick and Easy Mushroom Zucchini Pasta Recipe
I love this mushroom zucchini pasta recipe so much in the summer months when garden squash is in full force, but also come back to this recipe all year round because it’s just plain GOOD. Simple, fresh flavors, with minimal ingredients and nothing heavy.
This is a vegetarian pasta dish, but feel free to toss in some cooked, crumbled sausage or shredded chicken if you need to satisfy meat eaters at home.
Ingredients Needed
Here’s what you’ll need to make this quick and easy pasta dinner:
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)
- Pasta – Thin spaghetti is my standard pasta for this dish, but you can really use any. Choose your favorite.
- Zucchini – You’ll shred the zucchini and then press out any excess moisture. Leave the skin on for flavor and color.
- Mushrooms – Zucchini and mushrooms are best buddies in this dish. Cremini are preferred over button mushrooms, since they’re more flavorful, but either work.
- Garlic – Lots of garlic. For wonderful aromatics and flavor. Use fresh!
- Olive oil: – For sautéing the veggies.
- Seasonings – Just salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes for a little heat season the dish.
- Parmesan cheese – With such few ingredients, use the best quality, which means freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, which is infinitely better than anything pre-shredded.
How to Make Zucchini Mushroom Pasta
This dish comes together in about 20 minutes, tops. Here’s a brief summary:
(Scroll to the bottom for our easy printable recipe with the complete directions, and don’t miss the video below.)
- Cook the pasta. Cook pasta in salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente.
- Sauté the vegetables. While the pasta is cooking, heat a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add olive oil to the pan, then add the garlic. When the garlic starts to sizzle in the oil, add the zucchini. Season with salt pepper to taste and the red pepper flakes; sauté for a few minutes. Add the mushrooms and sauté for several minutes more.
- Add cooked pasta. Add hot, drained pasta to the pan and toss with the zucchini and mushroom mixture.
- Add Parmesan. Add in the Parmesan and toss again to incorporate.
- Serve. Enjoy right away while it’s hot.
Recipe Variations
- Add a protein. This dish is delicious with the addition of cooked, crumbled pork sausage. Shredded cooked chicken is good, too.
- Include yellow squash. 50/50 combo of zucchini and yellow squash is really good.
- Try it with eggplant. Replace the mushrooms with diced eggplant for a different flavor.
- Cut back on the garlic. A lot of garlic is pretty essential in this dish, but if 8 cloves sounds like too much to you, feel free to cut back – but not too much! It lends amazing flavor.
Video: Mushroom Zucchini Pasta
Serving Suggestions
Pasta with zucchini and mushrooms is pretty filling, but we like to serve this dish with homemade garlic bread and a simple side salad for a complete meal.
Storing Leftovers
Leftover pasta with zucchini and mushrooms should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. It will last for 2 to 3 days, keeping in mind that the veggies will loose a lot of their fresh color and crispness. Gently reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave. I do not recommend freezing this dish.
More Quick and Easy Pasta Recipes:
- Spaghetti Carbonara
- Creamy Shrimp Pesto Pasta
- Chicken Pot Pie Noodle Skillet
- Broccoli and Bacon Pasta
- One Pot Sausage Pasta
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Mushroom Zucchini Pasta
Ingredients
- 12 ounces spaghetti (or pasta of your choice)
- 2 medium zucchini , shredded and all moisture pressed out
- 8 ounces crimini mushrooms , chopped
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 8 cloves garlic , minced
- salt and freshly ground black pepper , to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Set a large pot of water to boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente.
- While the pasta is cooking, heat a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add olive oil to the pan, then add the garlic. When the garlic starts to sizzle in the oil, add the zucchini. Season with salt pepper to taste and the red pepper flakes; sauté for 3 minutes.
- Add the mushrooms and sauté for 4 more minutes.
- Add hot, drained pasta to the pan. Toss spaghetti with the zucchini and mushroom mixture.
- Add the Parmesan and mix to combine. Serve hot and enjoy!
I thought this was very good despite not having gotten out some of the liquid in the zucchini (used one large). I only used one garlic and at end, added some chopped walnuts. Perfect!
I just made this tonight, not knowing if anyone had an actual recipe for it and found this. It’s almost exactly the same, however, I also added a pat of butter for extra flavor.
This was just wonderful. I’m not vegetarian but had some friends over for dinner who don’t eat meat and served this – they all loved it (including me.) I cooked up some crispy bacon on the side and left it on the table for the meat eaters to mix into the pasta if they wanted. Nobody used it!
I just love this recipe! It’s so very delicious, thanks so much for sharing!
So easy and delicious! A great weeknight meatless meal. Thank you!
Loved this dish so much. Really simple, fresh, bold flavors but so few of them and so easy to make.
I set some of the pasta water aside incase it was a bit dry. Didn’t need it at all. No changes – this recipe is a keeper.
I made this and added yellow squash and green onion. So delish! Thanks for this great idea!
This pasta was/is fantastic! Even my kids, who cry over any veggie, loved it. That says a lot!
Woo-hoo! A vegetarian meal (and was delicious)! I want an Amy for my kitchen, but I’m guessing that wish is out of the question. I’ll settle for this recipe on my refrigerator door. :-)
Good stuff
Easy recipes that taste good are so perfect in the summer, this was great!
Love this recipe. I was even able to pass it by the family since the zucchini is shredded and the mushrooms are cut up so small.
Zucchini and mushrooms are my favorite veggies (ok, though mushrooms are a fungus technically =), so I knew I’d love this pasta dish. BUT I was surprised how much. 8 garlic cloves might sound like a lot, but it wasn’t at all paired with the olive oil and everything else. So much flavor. Don’t skip the red pepper flakes, either! They lend just a bit of necessary heat. Loved it.
I made this dish with eggplant and loved it.
Just wonderful. So much flavor. And so easy. Love dishes like this.
Printed this out and can’t wait to make it!
This does look quite yummy. So nice to have some vegetarian options. Thanks.
Added some white wine! This dish is so delicious!! 10/10.
YUMMY. I thought it was going to be good, but it was GREAT.
I have so much garden zucchini right now I was running out of ways to use it and then found this recipe – absolute winner, thank you!
Printed this bad boy!!! We’re into zucchini and mushroom….the garlic is a bonus…thanks Amy!!!
Hello there, i wanted to say that i am i fan of yours i love reading your blog to see what your up to and the new recipes i have a tried a few and they are so good!!