Pasta with Zucchini and Ricotta

In my childhood I had pasta and ricotta only. I added the zucchini, inspired by the Ligurian trombette. I made this pasta when I went to the market in Ventimiglia and found the first zucchini Trombetta of the season. Pasta and ricotta is a great combination, creamy and light at the same time. Add some zucchini and you have a complete meal on a pasta plate.

Jump to:

• Cooking with ricotta
• Ricotta and zucchini
• Other vegetables you can use with ricotta
• Ingredients
• How to make the zucchini and ricotta sauce
• In the meantime make the pasta
• Tips for making the best pasta and ricotta
• Frequently asked questions
• Recipes you might also like
• 📋Zucchini Recipe Pasta And Ricotta

Cooking with ricotta

Ricotta is a cheese made by re-cooking (ri-cotta in Italian) the serum, called whey, is leftover after the milk has been curdled to make cheese.

Therefore it is a cheese with a low-fat content.

Usually made from cows milk, it can also be made from sheep or goats milk.

Cow milk ricotta is better for making desserts as it has a milder flavour.

In Sicily and in the South of Italy, it is often used in cooking, in particular, to make desserts in substitution of butter or cream.

Delicious ricotta deserts are Cannoli Siciliani, Sfogliatella Napoletana, and the traditional Easter Pie Pastiera Napoletana.

In savoury dishes, ricotta is used in quiche, pizza and lasagna.

Ricotta and zucchini

For this pasta I combine the ricotta with zucchini, specifically zucchini Trombetta which I am growing in my garden. Zucchini Trombetta are long and curved zucchini shaped like a trumpet and they are typical of the Italian Ligurian region.

They are crunchy and have a distinctive flavour and if you want to know more about it you can read my article: The Amazing Zucchini Trombetta Albenga In the article, you will find additional zucchini recipes and you can make them with any regular zucchini.

If I cannot find zucchini Trombetta, I always buy small zucchini as they have fewer seeds and they are not too watery.

If you want to know more about unusual Italian vegetables, you can find the video of my morning trip to Ventimiglia market here.

Other vegetables you can use with ricotta

In this pasta and Ricotta recipe you can substitute zucchini with many other vegetables. Ricotta combines well with many: spinach, tomatoes, artichokes, onion...

What also works well is a Soffritto (Italian) or Mirepoix (French) with onion, celery and carrot made stir-fried in butter. Sofritto or Mirepoix is the base for many Italian and French recipes and since I use it very often I always keep a bag of chopped onion, carrot and celery in my freezer.

So if I don't have any other vegetables at home I can always grab a bag of Sofritto add some ricotta, boil some pasta and a meal is ready in a flash. If I have some, I will also add bacon to complete. If you want to know more about what I keep in my freezer, you can read the article:  Once a Month Freezer Meal Prep

Ingredients

• Zucchini: I use zucchini Trombetta when I find them. Otherwise I buy small zucchini as they have fewer seeds and they are not too watery.
• Ricotta: buy good quality ricotta.
• Butter: I usually use butter when I use ricotta as it combines better, but you can use olive oil instead.
• Extra virgin olive oil: for stir-frying the zucchini.
• Pasta: I use small pasta so it matches the bites of the zucchini.
• Parmesan and black pepper: to season at the end.

Find the measurements in the recipe card.

How to make the zucchini and ricotta sauce

First I cook the zucchini:

1. Cut the zucchini into round slices
2. Slice the garlic and stir-fry with butter and olive oil
3. Add the zucchini
4. Stir-fry until golden

In the meantime make the pasta

1. Bring to boil a pot of water with a tablespoon of salt
2. Once it is boiling put in the pasta and cook for 1 minute less than what is written in the package
3. Once it is done drain the pasta but remember to keep 2 tablespoon of the cooking water

In this recipe, I used Rotelle pasta De Cecco as the shape is the same size as the trombette zucchini, but you can use any other type of pasta that will trap the ricotta within. For example Tortiglioni, Zita, Rigatoni, Paccheri, Gnocchi o Fusilli.

4. Mix the zucchini with the ricotta
5. Add 2 tablespoon of water from the boiling pasta to soften the ricotta
6. When the pasta is ready, drain it and add it to the zucchini
7. Season with some parmesan and pepper and serve immediately

Tips for making the best pasta and ricotta

• The key is to whip the ricotta with pasta water, black pepper, butter and parmesan
• Buy good quality ricotta
• Use a pasta shape that will trap the ricotta in between
• Keep the pasta al dente
• Combine with some stir-fried vegetables
• Stir fry with butter as it combines better with the ricotta
• For added flavour stir fry some bacon with the vegetables
• Add 2 tablespoon of pasta cooking water to make the ricotta creamier
• Add plenty of parmesan and black pepper
• Serve immediately

Frequently asked questions

What is zucchini Trombetta?

Zucchini Trombetta are long and curved zucchini shaped like a trumpet, typical of the Italian Ligurian region. They are crunchy, they have a distinctive flavour, and they are less watery than regular zucchini. I grow them in my garden.

Is trombette a pasta shape or a zucchini?

Both exist. Trombette is also the name of an Italian pasta shape. In this recipe, trombetta is the zucchini. I use small pasta so it matches the bites of the zucchini.

Can I use regular zucchini instead of Trombetta?

If you cannot find zucchini Trombetta, you can use regular zucchini. Buy small zucchini as they have fewer seeds and they are not too watery.

What pasta shape works best with zucchini and ricotta?

I use small pasta so it matches the bites of the zucchini. I used Mafalda from Garofalo which is small but curled so the ricotta stays attached to the pasta.

How do you make the ricotta sauce creamy?

The key is to whip the ricotta with pasta water, black pepper, butter and parmesan.

Can I make it ahead or store leftovers?

No make ahead, it is served freshly made like all Italian pasta. If you have leftovers you can make a pasta a frittata.

Is pasta with ricotta an authentic Italian dish?

In my childhood I had pasta and ricotta only. I added the zucchini, inspired by the Ligurian trombette.

Recipes you might also like

If you are looking for more pasta with vegetable recipes, you can check the category: Pasta

Also check the recipes below:

• Red Pesto Pasta Sauce
• The Classic Pesto Recipe Pasta Trofie
• Pasta Caprese Salad
• Black Truffle Recipe Pasta
• Pasta a Frittata: Italian Fried Pasta

If you are making this Pasta with Zucchini and Ricotta, leave your comment and a star rating below I would like to hear from you. You can find more delicious ideas if you FOLLOW ME on Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest and Instagram or sign up to my newsletter.

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