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Stanley Tucci Zucchini Pasta Recipe
5 from 102 votes

Stanley Tucci Zucchini Pasta Recipe

Stanley Tucci's Zucchini Pasta Recipe features thinly sliced zucchini fried until golden and blistered, combined with al dente spaghetti, Parmesan cheese, butter, basil, and olive oil. The zucchini is fried in sunflower oil, then cooled before mixing with pasta, creating a dish that blends fried vegetable texture with tender pasta and fresh herbs.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Total Time
50 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 688 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

  • sunflower oil for frying
  • 6 medium zucchini
  • kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 16 ounces spaghetti (or linguine)
  • black pepper freshly ground
  • 1 cup Parmesan Cheese grated
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 bunch basil fresh leaves

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. In a heavy bottom pot, bring ½ to 1 quart of sunflower oil to 350°F.
  2. Slice the zucchini into thin rounds. In batches, fry the zucchini in the hot oil until they turn blistered and golden, about 5-7 minutes per batch. Use a spider or slotted spoon to transfer the zucchini to a bowl or plate lined with paper towels. Repeat until all of the zucchini is fried. Refrigerate the zucchini for at least 30 minutes up to overnight.
  3. When ready to prepare the dish, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water to make the sauce.
  4. In a large frying pan over medium-high, add the olive oil and heat the rested zucchini with 2 ladles of the warm spaghetti cooking water, stirring well until saucy. Season with a few pinches of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  5. Drain the spaghetti and add to the pan with the zucchini, tossing well to combine. Remove the pan from the heat and add a couple of handfuls of grated Parmesan cheese then toss everything together well. Stir in the butter and more water as needed to enrich the sauce.
  6. Add more Parmesan and top with a fresh basil leaves before serving.

Notes

  • This recipe originates from CNN's Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy.
  • Fry zucchini in batches to prevent overcrowding and achieve an even golden finish.
  • Refrigerate fried zucchini for 30 minutes up to overnight before combining with pasta to enhance texture.
  • Reserve pasta cooking water to adjust sauce consistency when mixing with zucchini and pasta.

Nutrition Information

Calories 688kcal (34%) Carbohydrates 97g (32%) Protein 26g (52%) Fat 22g (34%) Saturated Fat 9g (45%) Polyunsaturated Fat 2g (12%) Monounsaturated Fat 8g (40%) Trans Fat 0.2g (10%) Cholesterol 37mg (12%) Sodium 513mg (21%) Potassium 1068mg (23%) Fiber 7g (28%) Sugar 10g (20%) Vitamin A 984IU (20%) Vitamin C 53mg (59%) Calcium 294mg (29%) Iron 3mg (17%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 688

% Daily Value*

Calories 688kcal 34%
Carbohydrates 97g 32%
Protein 26g 52%
Fat 22g 34%
Saturated Fat 9g 45%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g 12%
Monounsaturated Fat 8g 40%
Trans Fat 0.2g 10%
Cholesterol 37mg 12%
Sodium 513mg 21%
Potassium 1068mg 23%
Fiber 7g 28%
Sugar 10g 20%
Vitamin A 984IU 20%
Vitamin C 53mg 59%
Calcium 294mg 29%
Iron 3mg 17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.