Pasta with zucchini, shrimp, and cherry tomatoes

Name: Pasta with zucchini, shrimp, and cherry tomatoes
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Spaghettoni square-shaped 11.5 oz; Shrimps tails to be cleaned 1.1 lbs; Cherry tomatoes 2 cups; Zucchini 2 cups; Lemon peel to taste; Lemon juice 2.4 oz; Garlic 2 cloves; Parsley to taste; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste; Extra virgin olive oil to taste

Lactose Free

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Serving: 4
Cost: Average

PRESENTATION

This shrimp pasta recipe really really brings out those classic Mediterranean flavors you’d find in Italian kitchens, but with a cool twist. So here's the thing: along the beautiful Italian coast, especially down south, folks love tossing together zucchini pasta with seafood. It feels light and kinda fancy. What makes this dish special? The tender shrimp mix with crisp, just-cooked zucchini and juicy cherry tomatoes. Really, the little hit of lemon wakes up everything, making it smell amazing.

And look, spaghettoni quadrati—those thick, square-shaped noodles—hold onto the sauce in a way that regular spaghetti just can’t. So every bite is rich and satisfying. The whole thing looks like summer in a bowl, with those colorful tomatoes and fresh greens. Pretty simple. It’s easy enough for a weeknight yet fancy enough to impress any dinner guest. Some Italian regions even switch out the shrimp for other seafood, or play around with the pasta shape, but the combo of cherry tomato pasta with zucchini and shrimp? Can't go wrong. It’s tough to beat for a quick, flavor-packed meal.

People love it because it’s so so easy to put together and always turns out moist and full of that real Mediterranean taste. You know, there's a nice balance—the sweet pop of the tomatoes, a little tangy from the lemon, and the crispy bits where the zucchini hits the pan just right. It’s the kind of food that makes you want to grab a fork and dig in. And here's the thing, it’s one of those healthy pasta dishes that still feels like a treat.

Whether you’re craving a shrimp and zucchini pasta or something to bring a little sunshine to your table, this dish finds its place in all kinds of Italian kitchens. Swapping in other veggies or spicing it up with a pinch of chili is common. Every version brings its own twist, but the mix of seafood, fresh produce, and pasta is a hit for a reason. Perfect for any occasion, it's sure to win over your guests and become a favorite.

How to prepare Pasta with zucchini, shrimp, and cherry tomatoes

To make the pasta with zucchini, shrimp, and cherry tomatoes, start by cleaning the shrimp tails. Peel them 1 and remove the intestinal vein with your fingers 2, or alternatively use a toothpick. At this point, wash the lemon well, dry it, and use a vegetable peeler to remove the zest 3.

Then squeeze the lemon for its juice 4 and strain it through a fine sieve 5. In a pan, add a drizzle of olive oil, the peeled garlic cloves, and the lemon zest 6.

Let the flavors infuse for a few minutes over medium heat, then increase the heat and add the shrimp 7. Sauté them for a few minutes until they change color, then deglaze with the lemon juice 8, add a pinch of salt and cook for 1 more minute. Remove the garlic 9.

Also gather the lemon peels 10 and keep the shrimp aside in a bowl with their cooking liquid 11. Cut the washed zucchinis into rounds about 1/4 inch thick 12.

Coarsely chop the well-washed cherry tomatoes with a knife 13. In the same pan where you cooked the shrimp, add a drizzle of oil. Heat it and add the zucchinis 14. Sauté them until slightly browned (2-3 minutes) 15.

Then add the cherry tomatoes 16, season with salt and cook everything for about 10 minutes 17. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in boiling water 18.

Finely chop the parsley 19. Drain the spaghetti al dente and transfer them into the sauce 20. Add the shrimp you had set aside 21 and toss everything well over high heat.

Turn off the heat, add a drizzle of raw olive oil, the chopped parsley 22 and pepper to taste 23. Your pasta with zucchini, shrimp, and cherry tomatoes is ready to serve 24.