Zucchini Flower Pasta
A nutty and slightly sweet zucchini flower pasta made with cashews and garlic for a creamy, pesto-like sauce. Our family loves to make these whenever we can get our hands on the zucchini blossoms.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 441kcal
Cost: $10
Equipment
- 1 large bowl
- 1 large pot
- 1 mortar and pestle or food processor
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh zucchini flowers
- ½ lb pasta
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup cashews
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup parmigiano cheese
- ½ cup starchy pasta water
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Boil the pasta until al dente. Before draining, save 1 cup of pasta water.
- Prepare the zucchini flowers by removing the stems and the yellow stamens from inside each flower.
- If using a mortar and pestle, grind the garlic and salt into a paste. Then add the cashews and grind until finely crushed. Add in the zucchini flowers and grind until the mixture becomes a rough paste. Squeeze in the lemon juice and then drizzle in the olive oil while you continue grinding with the pestle until all of the olive oil is added and combined. The mixture should look like a thick pesto.
- If using a food processor, add garlic, cashews, and salt to the processor. Add the zucchini flowers and lemon juice and process until broken down into a paste. Drizzle in the olive oil while processing until completely combined. Stop once combined. Overmixing can make the sauce too thick. The mixture should look like a thick pesto.
- Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Stir in the Parmigiano Reggiano. Add ½ cup of pasta water to the sauce. Add the drained pasta and toss until evenly coated. Add more pasta water as needed to reach a creamy texture that coats the pasta, similar to an Alfredo or Carbonara sauce.
- Serve immediately with extra Parmigiano Reggiano.
Video
Notes
- Zucchini flowers are so precious because they're only good for about 24 hours after being picked. Use immediately for best results.
- Never rinse zucchini. Rinsing will make them soggy and dilute the flavor. Just wipe dirt if necessary.
- Using a mortar and pestle is better than a food processor because of how it crushes and releases the oil making a creamier adn more cohesive sauce. Expect slightly more rustic texture with a food processor.
- Save starchy pasta water towards the end of the pasta being cooked so it has the most starch to help make the pasta extra creamy.
Nutrition
Calories: 441kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 686mg | Potassium: 196mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 49IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 91mg | Iron: 1mg
