Creamy Zucchini Ricotta Pasta (Vegan)
Creamy Zucchini Ricotta Pasta with fresh basil and mint, plus a squeeze of lemon, is a simple summery combination for an easy vegan main dish that can be served warm or chilled!
Today, it’s a celebration of zucchini and fresh herbs – and lots of it! Zucchini Ricotta Pasta with fresh basil and mint is a wonderful way to celebrate these delicious ingredients.
It’s a creamy vegan pasta dish featuring summer squash, fresh herbs, zesty lemon, and vegan ricotta cheese. Pair with a dusting of almond parmesan, and you have a quick and easy lunch, dinner, or make-ahead meal!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Zucchini is cooked until soft and tender and tossed with pasta, vegan ricotta, and fresh herbs for a deliciously creamy vegan pasta dish that can be served both warm and chilled.
Here is everything you will need:
- Zucchini – Feel free to include yellow squash for a combination of colors.
- Garlic
- Basil & mint – Feel free to use only one of the two herbs.
- Lemon – Juice of.
- Vegan ricotta – I used this my Tofu Ricotta, but this Vegan Cashew Ricotta would be great too!
- Olive oil – A flavored olive oil, such as lemon or garlic, would be fantastic.
- Salt + pepper – As always, to taste.
- Red pepper flakes – Add a nice heat, but it is optional.
- Pasta – Use your favorite small pasta such as bowtie, penne, rigatoni, etc.
How To Make Vegan Zucchini Ricotta Pasta
- Cook the pasta.
- Prep the zucchini into 1/4-inch slices.
Recommended Equipment: Use a mandolin to slice the zucchini uniformly and easily. I heart this Benriner slicer, but this XOX mandolin would be great too, at half the cost (affiliate links).
- Sauté the zucchini and garlic.
- Add the pasta to the zucchini.
- Next, add the vegan ricotta, basil, mint, and lemon juice.
- Toss well to coat.
And now your summery pasta is ready to enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
Ricotta pasta can stand on its own, but can be paired with salad or soup for a heartier meal. Here are a few of my favorite options:
- Topping: Top with a light dusting of almond parmesan and a squeeze of lemon.
- Salad: Serve with a simple salad, such as Healthy Flax & Evo Balsamic Vinaigrette or Vegan Caesar Salad.
- Soup: Serve with a small bowl of Tomato Basil Soup, Vegan Minestrone Soup or Hearty Lentil Soup.
- Bread: Pair with a slice of homemade Artisan Bread.
Storage + Freezing
- Refrigerator: Leftovers can be stored for 5 days in a covered container.
- Freezer: Zucchini ricotta pasta is freezer-friendly for up to 2 months. To freeze, let cool completely and store in freezer-safe containers (affiliate link). Let thaw before reheating. You can also freeze larger portions in large ziplock bags.
- Meal prep: This creamy pasta is great for meal prep and can be served chilled or at room temp.
Adjusting For Dietary Restrictions
- Gluten-free: Use gluten-free pasta.
- Oil-free: When cooking the zucchini and garlic, use vegetable broth in place of oil.
- Soy-free: Use our cashew-based Vegan Ricotta.
- Nut-free: Use our Tofu Ricotta.
More Easy Pasta Recipes!
- Pasta & Peas w/ Romesco Red Pepper Sauce
- Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese
- Hearty Lentil & Mushroom Ragu + Pasta
- Easy Vegetable Pasta
If you try this zucchini ricotta pasta, please let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love to hear what you think, or any changes you make.
Print Recipe
VEGAN ZUCCHINI RICOTTA PASTA
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: Serves 6
- Diet: Dairy-Free, Vegan
Description
A summery and fresh combination of zucchini, vegan ricotta, and lemon with basil and mint is a simple, wholesome, and flavorful meal to be enjoyed warm or chilled!
Ingredients
- 16 oz. small pasta (bowties, penne or rigatoni)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or 1/4 cup water or broth
- 2 lbs. zucchini (4 – 5 medium), sliced 1/4 inch or if wide cut into half moons
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/4 cup basil, julienned
- 1/4 cup mint, julienned
- 2 lemons, juice of
- 3/4 cup vegan ricotta (cashew ricotta or tofu ricotta)
- salt & pepper to taste
- red pepper flakes, optional
To Serve
- lemon wedges, to serve
- almond parmesan, to serve
Instructions
Pasta: Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
Zucchini: In large pan, heat olive oil or water over medium heat and cook the garlic and zucchini together, until zucchini is pretty tender, about 8 – 10 minutes, stirring frequently so they cook uniformly.
Combine: Add the pasta, vegan ricotta, fresh herbs and lemon juice to the pan with zucchini, mix well to coat. Taste for flavor, adding more salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with lemon wedges and a good dusting of almond parmesan – it’s simply delicious!
Serves 6
Store: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To keep longer, store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Notes
Feel free to use only basil or only mint, instead of using a combination. Also, use as much of each as you like!
Add in yellow squash for more color.
Edit: This recipe has been updated from its original 1 cup of mint to include basil as well, reducing the total amount of fresh herbs used. Feel free to adjust the amounts to suit your taste.
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT: Use a mandolin to uniformly slice the zucchini. I heart this Benriner slicer, but this XOX mandolin would be great too at half the price (affiliate links).
NUTRITIONAL INFO: The nutrition info accounts for 1/2 block of tofu since I used this Tofu Ricotta Recipe.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 15 min
- Category: Entree, Pasta
- Cuisine: Italian
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This was simple to make, and tastes like a restaurant quality dish…mmmarvelous , this is now a goto meal…yummy
A staple meal in my home. Perfect for summer. I use fresh herbs from my garden and it is delicious!!!
This might be my new favorite pasta recipe. As rich and delectable as alfredo, but you know it’s uber low fat and uber high protein (and of course cruelty free). I was searching up what to do with leftover mint (other than a salad) which is how I stumbled on this recipe and so glad I did. Just very light, yet very flavorful. Great combo of herbs! In case anyone else has a hard time with the directive re. salt and pepper “to taste” – I used 1/2 tsp salt in the tofu ricotta (and I used extra firm ricotta, without pressing) and 1 tsp of salt at the end, with the rest of the ingredients in the pasta. I also used 1.5 cups of ricotta instead of 3/4 cup, and only 1 lemon’s worth of juice (2 TB), not 2 lemons worth. To me, that was perfect. I also went heavy on the basil and mint :-)