Creamy, flavorful, a bit sweet and tart, this Sun Dried Tomato Alfredo With Zucchini Spaghetti will make a quick and easy dinner recipe that is perfect for busy weekdays, but is also delicious and satisfying for a Sunday family meal. Also check out Baked Zucchini with Mozzarella And Tomatoes, Baby Sweet Peppers And Zucchini Salad, Quinoa Patties With Zucchini And Feta.
Sun Dried Tomato Alfredo Pasta With Zucchini
Not technically a traditional Italian recipe, but rather an American adaptation of it, this creamy sun-dried tomato pasta is a lifesaver when it comes to fast and easy meals.
I'm sure you've already got a chance to try pasta with Alfredo sauce. There are lots of recipes online as well as many famous food chains have Fettuccine Alfredo in their menu.
What makes my Sun Dried Tomato Alfredo With Zucchini Spaghetti special - is the use of sun-dried tomatoes. Don't underestimate the powerful and intense punch of flavor that they contribute to the dish.
Slightly tart and sweet, these tiny prune-looking vegetables help to balance out the heaviness of the sauce, making it irresistibly delicious and addictive.
Speaking of sauces in general, my husband (he's a picky one and not very generous with compliments) is not a huge fan of different sauces.
But immediately after trying my Sun Dried Tomato Alfredo With Zucchini Spaghetti, I saw a content smile on this face so I knew the recipe was a keeper.
Did you know?
Famous Alfredo Sauce is named after Alfredo di Lelio who in 1914 wanted to prepare something special for his pregnant wife and made simple sauce with butter and parmesan that he poured over fettuccine.
Despite huge popularity of pasta with Alfredo Sauce in the US, in all other parts of the world it's made with just butter and no cream and is called Pasta Al Burro.
Zucchini Alfredo Pasta
For this recipe I used zucchini, but yellow squash will work too. Start off with cooking spaghetti according to a package instructions.
At the same time, cut the zucchini in half lengthwise and then thinly slice them into ¼ inch slices. You can use mandolin if you have one. Thinly slice garlic and sun dried tomatoes too.Â
Season zucchini with salt and pepper.
Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil and sauté zucchini on a medium heat flipping once until slightly browned. Transfer them to a plate lined with a paper towel.
Wipe the pan with another paper towel and put it back on a stove. Melt 4 tablespoons of butter and add sun-dried tomatoes. Sauté them for 7 minutes until slightly charred and add garlic.
Cook for another 30 seconds and add cream. Wait for it to bubble and add Parmesan cheese. Continue cooking on a medium-low heat until sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper.
At this point sauce is fully ready and all you have to do is add zucchini, spaghetti (or any other type of pasta), mix it really nice, add a bit of pasta cooking water (to thin out the sauce) and serve.
So good! I'm seriously craving it again!
What To Make With Alfredo Sauce
- Pasta would the obvious choice. Use different pasta shapes with fresh seasonal vegetables and mix it with Alfredo sauce. Yum!
- Use my Sun Dried Tomato Alfredo Sauce instead of simpler (but nonetheless extremely delicious) garlic cream sauce in my mouthwatering Zucchini And Potato Gratin.
- Spoon the sauce over dumplings, use in lasagna or in your favorite casseroles. So many great options and everything will taste even better with real homemade Alfredo.
How To Reheat Alfredo Sauce
If you have leftovers of Alfredo sauce and want to save it for later, no problem. Add a bit of milk in a pot with the sauce and heat it on a low heat and stirring constantly until warm.
I hope you'll my easy recipe as much as my family did. If you make it anytime soon, leave a comment below, I love reading my readers' comments!
Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 8 oz dry spaghetti
- 2 medium zucchini
- ½ c sun dried tomatoes in olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 tablespoon butter
- 2 c heavy cream
- 1 ½ c Parmesan cheese
- salt, pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook spaghetti according to package instructions.
- Meanwhile, cut the zucchini in half lengthwise and thinly slice them into ¼ inch slices. Thinly slice garlic and sun dried tomatoes too. Season zucchini with salt and pepper.
- Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil and sauté zucchini on a medium heat flipping once until slightly browned. Transfer them to a plate lined with a paper towel.
- Wipe the pan with another paper towel and put it back on a stove. Melt 4 tablespoons of butter and add sun-dried tomatoes. Sauté them for 7 minutes until slightly charred and add garlic.
- Cook for another 30 seconds and add cream. Wait for it to bubble and add Parmesan cheese. Continue cooking on a medium-low heat until sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add zucchini and cooked spaghetti into the sauce, mix it really nice, adding a bit of pasta cooking water if needed.
- Serve immediately!
Nutrition
If you make my Sun Dried Tomato Alfredo With Zucchini Spaghetti, snap a picture and post it on Instagram with a hashtag #lavenderandmacarons.
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Iryna Bychkiv is the founder and writer of the culinary website Lavender & Macarons, where she shares clean, European-inspired recipes that are delicious, easy to prepare, and made with wholesome ingredients. Iryna loves creating meals that are simple yet healthy and unique, including vegan and vegetarian recipes.
Iryna is also a freelance writer for MSN and Associated Press Wire.
Lisa Huff says
Mmmm this is my kind of dinner with pasta, veggies, and alfredo sauce! Anything with alfredo sauce has my name written all over it!
Iryna says
Thanks Lisa! I adore Alfredo sauce too!
Marisa says
This looks like some restaurant quality pasta! Looks delicious!
Iryna says
Thanks Marisa!
sue | the view from great island says
Wow ~ Alfredo sauce is my guilty pleasure...but adding all these veggies to it makes it healthy, right??
Iryna says
Ha-ha! I don't see why it's not:))
rebecca says
what a fun take on alfredo! this looks delicious
Iryna says
thanks Rebecca!
Tara @ Unsophisticook says
So quick and easy, and I love that it's packed with lots of veggies!
Iryna says
Thanks Tara!