Description
A quick and delicious pasta dish featuring fusilli, fresh zucchini, and cherry tomatoes, perfect for weeknight dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
- 230 g fusilli pasta
- 2 medium green zucchinis, diced
- 2 cups (300 g) whole cherry tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 60 ml vegetable broth, plus more as needed
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon fennel seed
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 0.5 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 0.5 teaspoon crushed chili flakes (optional)
- 100 g parmesan cheese, grated, plus extra for serving
- Fresh basil or parsley leaves, for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add fusilli pasta and cook until al dente, approximately 8-10 minutes. Drain thoroughly and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, dice the zucchinis into bite-sized pieces. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add zucchini and sauté, stirring occasionally, until golden at the edges and tender, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from skillet and set aside.
- In the same skillet, add cherry tomatoes, ground black pepper, fennel seed, garlic powder, cayenne pepper if using, and vegetable broth. Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring regularly, until the tomatoes are blistered and softened, 5-7 minutes.
- Push the tomatoes to one side of the skillet. Add the sautéed zucchini, cooked pasta, and grated parmesan to the pan. Gently stir to combine and reheat for 2-3 minutes until the cheese is melted and pasta is evenly coated. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash more vegetable broth to loosen.
- Serve pasta hot in bowls. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with extra grated parmesan, and garnish with fresh basil or parsley leaves. Add crushed chili flakes for heat if desired.
Notes
- For extra flavor, consider adding more fresh herbs.
- Adjust seasoning according to personal preference.
- This dish can be easily made vegan by omitting the parmesan cheese or using a vegan alternative.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 52 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg