Zucchini Tomato Sauce over Fusilli Pasta

Our Zucchini Tomato Sauce over Fusilli Pasta is a delicious dish loaded with fresh zucchini, onions, garlic, herbs, and marinara sauce.  Then it’s served over Fusilli pasta, creating an exquisite dish that is quick and easy to prepare. Best of all, it gets dinner ready in no time!  Another wonderful addition to our Easy Inspired Pastas and Soups!

 

Pasta with Zucchini and Tomato Sauce…

There’s nothing like a dish of pasta on Sundays. Right?!

So when it comes to our mom’s recipes, there’s nothing ordinary about this zucchini tomato sauce! 

The flavors are exquisite when combining fresh zucchini with onions, garlic, and fresh parsley, and blending it with our mom’s quick marinara sauce to make a quick dish. 

Then it’s served over Fusilli pasta, or gluten-free fusilli and topped with some grated parmesan cheese.  YUM! 

Take our word for it. 

This is one everyday easy and extraordinarily delicious dish!  

Zucchini Tomato Sauce over Fusilli Pasta by 2sistersrecipes.com

 

How To Make This Zucchini Tomato Sauce over Fusilli?

For our recipe, you will need the following ingredients:

  • 1 large sweet onion

  • 2 garlic cloves

  • fresh parsley

  • 2 large zucchini

  • 1 cup of already premade marinara sauce

  • and 1 package of Fusilli pasta

Our mom’s recipe for Zucchini Tomato Sauce is very simple and without a lot of fuss!

You can follow our STEP-by-STEP directions below, or head down to the bottom of this post for our recipe card!

Directions to Make Zucchini Tomato Sauce over Fusilli Pasta:

1.  First, saute onions and parsley together for about 1 to 2 minutes.  Next, add in the zucchini, garlic, crushed red pepper, along with some salt and black pepper.

Zucchini chopped and is sautรฉed in a large stainless steel pan.  by 2sistersrecipes.com

 

2.   Next, cover with a lid and simmer.  Stirring occasionally until the zucchini is softened and tender to the bite, about 12 to 15 minutes.

3.  In the meantime, boil water in a large saucepot.  Add 1 heaping teaspoon of salt to the boiling water and toss in your Fusilli pasta.  Follow the directions to the package.  Drain when pasta is al-dente.

Zucchini and onions in a deep pan cooking until they softened.  by 2sistersrecipes.com

4.  While the pasta is cooking, pour 1 cup of our Mom’s Quick Marinara Sauce (in recipe card below) or any fresh marinara sauce you may have on hand into the zucchini mixture and stir until heated through. 

5.  Then turn off the heat.  Taste the sauce, and adjust the seasonings if needed.  Now the Zucchini Tomato Sauce is ready for you to serve over your fusilli pasta.

Marinara sauce is poured into the pan with zucchini mixture,  by 2sistersrecipes.com

A perfect meatless meal to serve on the weekend, or on meatless Mondays. 

Serve this dish with a mixed green salad and dinner is ready in 30 minutes!

Throughout the years, mom always gave us good advice.  And that is, to plan ahead our meals, either in the morning or the night before. 

Sounds impossible?

Not at all! 

She reminds us often that if you have fresh tomato sauce on hand, like her quick marinara sauce and fresh vegetables in the fridge, you could easily whip up all kinds of fast meals like this one, especially during weekdays.

Zucchini Tomato Sauce over Fusilli Pasta by 2sistersrecipes.com

Zucchini Tomato Sauce is versatile because you can serve it alone as a side dish, or serve it with grilled steaks, fish, or chicken.  It’s positively delicious!

Zucchini Tomato Sauce over Fusilli Pasta is SO GOOD!  Everyone will ask you for seconds! 

Serve it with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese on top, it’s even better! ๐Ÿ™‚ 

Enjoy and Buon Appetite!

           

 …Thanks for Pinning!!

Zucchini Tomato Sauce over Fusilli Pasta by 2sistersrecipes.com

MORE TASTY RECIPES for Pasta with Veggies!

Yield: 6 servings

Zucchini Tomato Sauce over Fusilli Pasta

Zucchini Tomato Sauce over Fusilli Pasta by 2sistersrecipes.com

Zucchini Tomato Sauce over Fusilli Pasta is made with fresh zucchini, chopped onions, garlic, and parsley sauteed until softened, and blended with some marinara sauce. Served over Fusilli pasta, gets dinner ready in no time!

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large sweet onion - chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves - sliced
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 2 large zucchini's - sliced into small pieces
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
  • fresh cracked pepper to taste
  • 1 cup mom's quick marinara sauce
  • 1 pound (16 ounces) Fusilli pasta
  • 3 Tbsp. butter

Instructions

  1. In a large saute pan, heat on medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Add the onions, garlic, and fresh chopped parsley and cook and stir them until onions have softened about 1 to 2 minutes.
  2. Add in the chopped zucchini, salt, crushed red pepper, and some black pepper to taste. Cover with a lid and lower the heat to medium-low for 1 to 2 minutes. Stirring occasionally. Then simmer on low heat for an additional 15 to 18 minutes. Zucchini should be softened and tender to the bite.
  3. Pour in 1 cup of marinara sauce and stir to blend. Simmer for 1 minute to heat the sauce through. Turn off heat and keep it covered.
  4. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 teaspoon of salt to the water.
  5. Toss in the Fusilli pasta and cook according to the directions on the package or until al-dente.
  6. Drain the Fusilli pasta. Transfer the pasta back into the pot. Toss in 3 tablespoons of butter, and stir until the butter is completely melted into the pasta.
  7. Serve Fusilli pasta into individual pasta dishes with zucchini tomato sauce on top.
  8. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese at the table.
  9. Serves 6

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6 servings

Serving Size:

1 serving

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 443Total Fat: 16.3gCarbohydrates: 47gFiber: 5.2gSugar: 5.1gProtein: 11.9g

Did you make this recipe?

Mention @2sistersrecipes on Instagram or tag #2sistersrecipes!

Yield: 2 quarts

Mom's Quick Marinara Sauce

Moms' Quick Marinara Sauce by 2sistersrecipes.com

Mom's Quick Marinara Sauce ~ is our mom's traditional recipe from Naples, Italy. It is a sweet-tasting homemade sauce that is made with garlic, red pepper, fresh basil, and San Marzano tomatoes. Her tomato sauce can be used in many of our classic Italian dishes and one you will enjoy making over and over again. I always make a batch of sauce, keep some in the fridge ready to use for the week, and freeze the rest!

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 can (28 ounces) Cento crushed tomatoes
  • 1 can (28 ounces) Cento peeled tomatoes
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 6 to 8 large basil leaves- rinsed
  • 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
  • optional: 1/4 cup of water
  • salt and black pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Open cans of tomatoes, pour them into a blender, and puree them. Place them aside.
  2. In a large saucepot and on low-medium heat, heat olive oil. Add whole garlic cloves and sauté the garlic until they turn golden brown, about 2 minutes.
  3. Next, turn off the heat, or remove the pot from the heat, and have the cover to the pot nearby.
  4. Add the red pepper flakes. Then drop all the basil leaves at once and COVER immediately! This will prevent the oil to splash all over the kitchen and onto yourself. After a minute or so, slowly stir the basil. This will infuse the flavors of the basil and red pepper into the oil giving it a strong punch of flavor to the sauce.
  5. Turn the heat back on. NEXT, add the tomatoes. Cover with a lid and bring the sauce to a low boil.
  6. Reduce heat and simmer the sauce for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring it occasionally.
  7. As the sauce thickens, depending on the brand of imported tomatoes, you may need to add some water if it's getting too thick.
  8. Finally, taste the sauce, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Before serving, fish out the garlic cloves and discard them. Allow the sauce to completely cool before storing it in containers and refrigerate. Can freeze up to 3 weeks.
  9. Yields: about 2 quarts

Did you make this recipe?

Mention @2sistersrecipes on Instagram or tag #2sistersrecipes!

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Stay Healthy … and Happy Cooking!   ๐Ÿ™‚

Thanks for stopping by! 

xo Anna and Liz

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9 Comments

    1. Thank you, Liz, this is not only easy to make but it’s a classic dish our mom made on rotation, and so happy we posted it.

    1. So glad to hear Susan! We love zucchini and make this all the time. How Silly! It took me this long to post this dish! Please let us know ….. have a great weekend!

    2. We love this zucchini dish and make it often! So I can’t wait for you to try it and get back to us! ๐Ÿ™‚