Need a dish that's quick, easy, tasty, and healthy? This zucchini pesto pasta makes an easy weeknight dinner solution that’s ready and on the table in less than 30 minutes! It's made with fresh zucchini, ground turkey, pesto, and chickpea pasta and simply bursts with brightness and flavor.
2Tablespoonsfreshly grated parmesanmore for serving
Instructions
Fill a large pot with water and several pinches of salt. Bring this to a boil and cook your chickpea fusilli for about 5 minutes. (Alternatively, follow the package instructions on whatever pasta you’re using.) Reserve about ½ cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta and set aside. Optional: you can mix the pasta with about 1 Tablespoon of the pesto if you’d like. Tip: cook your pasta as your last step if you’d like it to still be quite hot when you serve it.
Meanwhile, prepare your ingredients. Thinly slice the shallot into half moons. Peel and mince the garlic. Zest the lemon, then cut in half and pop out any seeds so you can juice it over the pasta later. Set these aside.
In a large skillet with tall sides, lightly toast the 2 Tablespoons of pine nuts, which should take about 60-90 seconds. DO NOT WALK AWAY. Pine nuts can easily burn if left unattended. Remove the pine nuts and set aside.
In the same skillet, over medium-high heat, add about 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil, then add the ground turkey. Sprinkle with a few pinches of salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Break up the turkey with a wooden utensil and stir to cook until browned and fully cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add about 1 Tablespoon of pesto and cook for another 30 seconds, then remove turkey from the pan and set aside.
Reduce heat to medium and add another 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil. Add the shallots and a pinch of salt and sauté for 1-2 minutes, or until they’re softened and developing flavor. Add the garlic and sauté another 30 seconds or until fragrant.
Add the zucchini to the skillet and stir immediately to combine with the aromatics and to put the zucchini in contact with the bottom of the skillet. Add a pinch of salt, and stir frequently while cooking this for about 5 minutes or until the zucchini has softened. Then, add the lemon zest, the remaining 2-3 Tablespoons of pesto, and about 2 Tablespoons of the reserved pasta water. Stir this together and cook for another 3-5 minutes.
Stir in 1-2 Tablespoons of freshly grated parmesan cheese. This should melt into the sauce to make it glossy and delicious!
Combine the cooked pasta, ground turkey, and zucchini in the skillet or in a large bowl with a squeeze of lemon juice. Stir well, taste and add any additional salt, pepper, pesto, or olive oil as desired. Top with the pine nuts and parmesan cheese, reserving a bit of each to add to each serving of pasta. Enjoy!
Notes
Be sure to check the full post above for more ingredient tips, how to store leftovers, tips, serving suggestions, and more.
Add a pinch of salt each time you add an ingredient to the skillet. This helps ensure even seasoning and builds layers of flavor.
Feel free to make your own homemade pesto for this recipe! If using homemade spinach or arugula pesto, I recommend using 6-8 Tablespoons of pesto in this recipe.
How to make this pasta dish cheaper.
Use walnuts or sunflower seeds instead of pine nuts, or just leave them out altogether.
In-season zucchini will also be cheaper.
Instead of parmesan, feel free to use grana padano or any similar cheese - whatever is cheapest!
While I love the fiber and protein available in chickpea and red lentil pasta, whole wheat pasta is certainly cheaper.
You can use regular onions or red onions in place of the shallot if desired.
And finally, homemade pesto is often cheaper than store bought!