Ingredients
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for pasta water, and to taste
- 8 oz (225 g) spaghetti, cooked al dente
- 1 cup (235 ml) pasta water, reserved
- 1 1/4 lb (570 g) zucchini, trimmed, coarsely grated
- 6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or more to taste
- 1/2 cup (45 g) grated Parmesan
- Handful fresh basil leaves, cut into thin ribbons
Instructions
Boil the spaghetti in well-salted water until 1 minute shy of fully cooked. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.
Melt the butter in your empty pan over medium-high heat and add the garlic, stirring for 1 minute before adding the zucchini, salt, and red pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 13–15 minutes — it will first release liquid, the liquid will cook off, and the zucchini will turn soft and concentrated. Reduce heat if it starts to brown. Stir frequently for 2 more minutes, breaking it down with the edge of a spoon, until almost spreadable.
Pour in 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water and stir up anything stuck, then add the drained pasta and cook together 2 minutes. Toss to pull the zucchini butter sauce into the pasta, adding more pasta water as needed to loosen. Toss in half the Parmesan and basil, then transfer to a serving bowl. Finish with the remaining Parmesan and basil.