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This bowl of Lemon Basil Zucchini Pasta Alfredo is becoming one of our favorite summer pasta dishes. I took a classic pasta recipe and updated it with a light yet creamy caramelized onion sauce, summer zucchini, and fresh lemon and basil. Every twirl of pasta has delicious summertime flavors that melt in your mouth. It’s a creamy bowl of lighter pasta Alfredo that comes together in under an hour. Perfect for warm summer nights!
Summer solstice is on Thursday, and you all, I’m so ready for it! In my mind, it’s been summer since June 1st, but now that it’s really official – according to the calendar, we can break out all of our best summer dishes and start utilizing the amazing produce that summer has to offer.
Of course, zucchini is one of the summer vegetables that seems to be most abundant from June through September. I love to cook and bake with zucchini. I use it in salads, pasta, rice bowls, and even mixed into our summer cakes and muffins!
It is such a versatile ingredient!
The other week, my brother sent me this pasta video featuring a caramelized onion sauce. Honestly, it was too heavy and intense for me, especially for summer. But I did love the idea of incorporating a slowly caramelized onion into a creamy summer Alfredo sauce.
I wanted this pasta to feel cozy, taste delicious, and still be light. The addition of lemon and basil helps to keep this Alfredo feeling fresh and summery. It turned out so delicious!
These are the details
Step 1: cook the pasta
Boil your favorite pasta cut. For this Alfredo sauce, I love some longer cuts of pasta, such as fettuccini or linguine.
I used Mafaldine Italian Pasta di Gragnano, which is always fun!
Step 2: cook the lemon
Next, while the pasta cooks, caramelize slices of lemon in butter. Then chop the lemon slices and toss them with lots and lots of fresh basil.
Save the mix for topping the pasta. You can eat the lemon, rind and all! When the lemon is cooked, the bitterness is removed, and it’s delish.
Step 3: make the sauce
Now, start caramelizing the onion with some butter. Once the onion is caramelized, add it to the zucchini.
Allow the zucchini to cook until it turns a pretty golden color. Add the reserved pasta cooking water and a generous pour of heavy cream. Simmer the sauce until it thickens.
Step 4: finish this up!
Add so much parmesan cheese, then toss in the pasta.
At this point, plate the pasta, sauce, and zucchini. Then top with that reserved lemony basil mixture from step 2. And you can never go wrong with extra parmesan cheese, so add some more!
When you twirl the warm, buttery lemon pasta into the creamy Alfredo sauce, it instantly melts in your mouth, along with the buttery zucchini. And the onion adds just the perfect amount of uniqueness to the sauce. It’s not intense, just delicious!
Looking for other summer pasta? Try these weeknight favorites.
Jammy Cherry Tomato Pasta with Crisp Lemon Rosemary Chickpeas
Antipasto Pasta Salad with Herby Parmesan Vinaigrette
One Pot Lemon Basil, Asparagus, and Sausage Pasta
20 minute lemon butter pasta with ricotta and spicy breadcrumbs
Lastly, if you make this Lemon Basil Zucchini Pasta Alfredo, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And, of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Lemon Basil Zucchini Pasta Alfredo
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 659 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 1 pound linguine or fettuccini
- 6 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 lemon, sliced, seeds removed
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 zucchini or yellow summer squash, very thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- salt and black pepper
- chili flakes
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 1/2 cups grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- 1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Remove 1/2 cup pasta cooking water. Drain.2. Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the lemon slices. Sear until the lemon is caramelized, about 1 minute per side. Remove the lemon from the skillet. Finely chop the lemon slices and mix with the basil.3. To the same skillet, add 4 tablespoons butter and the onion. Cook until caramelized, 8-10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, zucchini, thyme, and season with salt, pepper, and chili flakes. Cook another 5 minutes until golden. 4. Add 1/2 cup pasta cooking water and the cream, stirring until smooth. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 minutes, until slightly thickened. Stir in the parmesan, then toss in the pasta. Cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. 5. Serve topped with the reserved lemon/basil mix. Twirl the pasta up with the sauce and zucchini. EAT and ENJOY!
This post was originally published on June 18, 2024
I just made this as a meal prep for the week – it was amazing and delicious, as expected! My local store didn’t have fresh thyme so I used dried thyme, and they didn’t have basil so I used parsley instead. I also added some grilled chicken and used gluten free pasta. Lemon in pasta in the summer is a game changer so I’ll put this into my rotation. Thanks so much for the recipe!
Hey Amy,
Awesome!! Thanks so much for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback! Love to hear that it was enjoyed! xT
Made this with coconut milk and wow ! Maybe one of my favorites and that’s hard to say. Loved the lemon and basil
Thanks so much, Carlie! Love to hear that this dish turned out well for you! Have a great week! xT
Really enjoyed this. Thanks! I had a bit of a snafu when draining my cooked pasta. The strainer clip came off and all of the pasta when down the drain – literally! Thankfully I had more and it was worth the wait.
Hey Margie,
Happy Monday!! Thanks a lot for trying this recipe and your comment, I am so glad to hear that it turned out well for you! Omg so sorry to hear about the pasta!! x
I made this last night as written. It was AMAZING ❣️Making this next week for company. It’s a keeper 🙌
Hey Denise,
Happy Sunday! I appreciate you making this recipe and your comment, so glad to hear it was enjoyed! x
We made this last night! We doubled the recipe and it was delcious. Served along side a fresh green salad from the garden. Will definitely make this again, thank you! Love your recipes. We have all of your cookbooks ❤️
Hey Linda,
Wonderful!! I’m so glad to hear that your family enjoyed this dish, thanks for making it! Happy Sunday! xT
Hi Tieghan,
Look forward to making this and I have all of the ingredients. Can I substitute half & half for the heavy cream? I have both but would like to have a lighter version.
Thanks!
Hi Sheila,
Sure, that should be just fine for you to use. I hope you love this dish, please let me know if you give it a try! xT
Could I sub a non-dairy “cream” in this? I’ve never used one but my daughter in law would have stomach issues with the heavy cream.
Hi Tracey,
That should work nicely for you! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love the recipe! xT
This was a hit with my husband and tot! It feels lighter than lots of other cream sauces too. I used shredded squash instead of thin slices and you could hardly taste it. Will be adding this recipe into the rotation.
Hey Isabelle,
Happy Saturday!! Thanks so much for giving this dish a try and your feedback, so glad it turned out well! xT
Fantastic!
Made this with one zucchini and half a bunch of fresh spring asparagus .
Amazing great recipe!
Hey Amanda,
Wonderful! Love to hear that you enjoyed this recipe, thanks a lot for making it! Have a great Saturday! Xx
This looks great, gonna try it tonight. What is the pictured pasta? I’m not familiar with it, looks so pretty.
It’s called mafalda. Personally I’ve never seen it in stores but you can order it online
Hi Michele,
Here is a link for the pasta:
https://shopstyle.it/l/ccwz7
Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
What would be the best way to add shrimp to this recipe?
Hey Stephen,
I would sauté shrimp on the side and add that when serving. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
This was absolutely delicious. Thank you yet again for helping me keep up the ruse that I actually know how to cook.
Hey April,
Fantastic! I appreciate you trying this recipe and your comment, so glad to hear it turned out nicely for you! xT
If I wanted to make it a little healthier, what could I sub for the heavy cream? Would 2% milk or coconut milk work, or would that mess up the overall flavor and texture?
Hi Julie,
Whole milk would be your best option here:) I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
On my way to the airport, breckie-less, and this made my tummy growl – no kidding. Lemon, zucchini, cheese, pasta, onions … Have so much basil right now and cannot wait to try this! Thanks for another winner!
Thanks so much Laura!! I hope you love this dish:) Safe travels! xT
So the lemon rind is eaten? It’s not bitter?
Hey Melissa,
Yes, that is correct, you are going to caramelize the lemon rid, so it will take away any bitterness. If you are worried about that, you can always remove it for serving:) I hope you love this dish! xT
This looks amazing! Tomorrow it’s on the menu. I am definitely over thinking the lemon part though. Are they wedge slices or complete round slices? I can not see them well enough in your finished photo. Sorry for the silly question, I know I am overthinking it but want to try to recreate close as possible. Appreciate it.
You want to do thin round slices:)