There are days when I crave a quick and delicious meal with minimal effort. What about you?
I am sure this garlicky zucchini and cherry tomato pasta is the perfect dish when you feel tired or don’t have much time to cook.
Follow the steps below and find out how to cook it in under 25 minutes.
Here we go.
Step 1. Gather and prep ingredients.
Before you start prepping it, it’s advisable to quickly find out if you have all the ingredients that you need.
Grab 2 cloves of garlic, 1 large zucchini, a handful of cherry tomatoes, ½ cube of chicken or vegetable stock, 1 teaspoon of dried oregano, ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese and 8 ounces of uncooked penne pasta.
Now start by slicing the garlic into fine slices and put it aside. Cut the cherry tomatoes in halve, slice the zucchini into small pieces or as you’d like to eat them.
Now you’re ready to start cooking!
Step 2. Cooking the pasta
Fill up a pan with cold water, but if you are trying to save energy collect the hot water from the kettle and bring it to a boil.
Drop a pinch of salt in the water and boil over medium heat. Once boiling, add the penne and cook it according to package’s instructions.
If you prefer al dente, like I do put the alarm on for a 9-10 minute cooking time.
Step 3. Heat olive oil in a large pan
Meanwhile, in a large pan or wok, add two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and before it gets very hot add the garlic.
Seconds later throw in the sliced jalapeno and let it simmer until it gets light brown.
Be aware, that Olive Oil has a low smoking point, so be careful to not let it burn.
Step 4. Toss the final ingredients into the mixture
Add the zucchini and cherry tomato halves and keep stirring it occasionally for 3 to 4 minutes until they become tender.
By this time, the pasta is almost cooked. Drain and keep a tablespoon of cooked liquid aside before mixing in with the paste.
Then gently throw the cooked pasta into the sauce, pour in the pasta water to help loosen up the sauce. and mix everything well.
Season to taste and lower the heat to medium-low until all ingredients are combined and heated through.
We like to finish it off with some crumbled feta cheese or grated parmesan.
Finally, serve and enjoy!
This garlicky zucchini and cherry tomato pasta dish is perfect for busy weeknights and weekend dinners and can be made in under 15 minutes.
Let us know in the comments below if you enjoyed this dish.