This mezze maniche pasta with zucchini and shrimp is a really tasty and elegant Italian seafood pasta recipe made with very thinly sliced zucchini and delicious spicy garlicky shrimp. This is a simple, easy to make recipe that’s perfect for weeknights, as it takes no time at all to prepare!
Pasta with zucchini and prawns or shrimps is a popular summer pasta dish. Of course, there are different versions of this recipe. Some include ingredients like saffron or cream or tomatoes or other veggies. This version is a very simple one. But, simple doesn’t mean bland. It’s a really tasty and pretty easy recipe to make.
A little zucchini history!
Although the French and British call them courgettes and some refer to them as baby marrows, zucchini are most well-known as..well zucchini!! As you may imagine the word ‘zucchini’ is Italian! The word comes from the Italian ‘zucca’ which means squash or pumpkin and the suffix ‘ini or ina (= one zucchina) is used for the diminutive form to mean ‘little’. So, little squash.
Although squash and pumpkins originally came to Europe from the Americas in 16th century, zucchini were first developed in Italy in 19th century. They didn’t reach the US until the 1920s. Apparently, it was Italian immigrants who took zucchini seeds with them to the US and cultivated the vegetable there!
Zucchini is a great summer vegetable that can be found in so many Italian recipes. Italians use this veg (which is actually botanically a fruit) in soup, sides, frittata, fritters and pasta, like this pasta with zucchini and prawns recipe. In fact, zucchini are used in lots of pasta recipes especially vegetarian ones or those with salmon and prawns.
Ingredients
Shrimp: You can use both fresh or frozen uncooked shrimp or prawns for this recipe. Fresh shrimp are preferable for their texture and taste, but if unavailable, frozen uncooked shrimp tails (without heads) are a good alternative.
If you have whole fresh shrimp, don’t remove the peel from all of them. Leaving some whole will add more flavor and make the finished dish look more sophisticated!
Zucchini: I used two types of zucchini in this recipe, the common dark green ones and what Italians call zucchine 'bianche' (white zucchini). Here in Italy, there are a number of different types of zucchini including round ones. Those are great for stuffing and baking! You can also just use the darker green ones.
Mezze Maniche Pasta: I made this recipe with mezze maniche pasta tubes; however, feel free to substitute with other pasta tubes like penne or even spaghetti or linguine.
Garlic Cloves: Essential for adding depth and a punch of flavor to the dish.
Capers: These add a nice briny touch to the dish, enhancing the overall flavor profile with their salty, tangy notes.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Use a high-quality oil for sautéing; it will enrich the flavors of your ingredients and add a subtle depth to the overall dish.
White Wine: Adds acidity and complexity to the sauce. If you prefer not to use wine, substitute it with a mixture of vegetable broth and a touch of lemon juice to add some acidity and brighten the dish.
Peperoncino Flakes or Fresh Peperoncino: Adjust the amount to your taste preference.
Expert Tips
Slicing the Zucchini: Slice the zucchini very finely to allow it to cook quickly so that the shrimp don't overcook. You can use a sharp knife or even a mandolin for quicker and more uniform slices.
Preparing fresh shrimp: If your shrimp hasn't been peeled or deveined, here's what to do:
- Rinse the Shrimp: Begin by rinsing your shrimp under cold running water to remove any surface debris.
- Peeling the Shrimp: Pull off the head (if it is still attached) and the legs. Then, hold the shrimp in one hand and gently peel the shells away with the other.
- Deveining the Shrimp: Make a shallow cut along the back of the shrimp using a small knife. This will expose the dark vein (intestinal tract). Carefully lift and pull the vein out with the tip of your knife or by using your fingers.
- Final Rinse: After deveining, give the shrimp one last rinse under cold water to clean out any remaining residue. Set aside to cook.
Step by Step Instructions
1) In a large frying pan or iron skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped garlic and peperoncino, and sauté for about a minute until fragrant. Add the shrimp and capers to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes until the shrimp changes color.
2) Pour in the white wine and allow the alcohol to evaporate. Add the zucchini and ½ cup of water. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with a lid and simmer for about 10 minutes or until the zucchini are tender. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon.
3) While the zucchini and shrimp are cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt, then bring to a boil again, and then cook the pasta al dente according to the package instructions.
4) Drain the pasta and add it to the pan with the zucchini and shrimp. Toss everything together well.
5) Serve immediately, garnished with additional peperoncino flakes or fresh chopped parsley if desired.
Storage and Leftovers
Allow the pasta with zucchini and shrimp to cool to room temperature before transferring it to an airtight container. Place it in the refrigerator, where it will keep fresh for up to 2 days.
To reheat the leftovers, place the pasta in a microwave-safe container and cover it. Heat on medium power for about 2 minutes, then stir. Continue heating in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until the dish is hot throughout.
FAQs
Absolutely! Frozen shrimp work well for this dish. Just make sure to thaw them completely before cooking to ensure they don't release too much water and sear nicely.
This dish is ideal during the summer months when both zucchini and shrimp are in season. Fresh zucchini is at its peak, and shrimp are plentiful, making it the perfect time to enjoy this recipe.
Absolutely! Once prepared, allow the dish to cool down to room temperature and serve it as is, or you can store it in the fridge and serve it cold.
More Recipes You May Like:
- Pasta with zucchini and saffron
- Spaghetti with fried zucchini (alla Nerano)
- Baked pasta with pumpkin and zucchini
- Orecchiette with zucchini and speck
- Pasta with zucchini flowers, saffron and ham
If you do try this mezze maniche pasta with zucchini and shrimp recipe, I’d love to hear what you think. Please write a comment here on the blog or post a comment on the Pasta Project Facebook page.
Your feedback means a lot to me!
Buon Appetito!
Pasta with Zucchini and Shrimp
Ingredients
- 14 oz mezze maniche pasta or other pasta tubes
- 14 oz shrimp or prawns I used frozen shrimp tails
- 3-4 zucchini
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and chopped
- 1 tablespoon capers
- 2-3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ glass white wine
- ½ teaspoon peperocino flakes or 1 teaspoon fresh peperoncino chopped
- salt for pasta and to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 1 handful fresh parsley (optional)
Instructions
- In a large frying pan or iron skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped garlic and peperoncino, and sauté for about a minute until fragrant. Add the shrimp and capers to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes until the shrimp changes color.
- Pour in the white wine and allow the alcohol to evaporate. Add the zucchini and ½ cup of water. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with a lid and simmer for about 10 minutes or until the zucchini are tender. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon.
- While the zucchini and shrimp are cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt, then bring to a boil again, and then cook the pasta al dente according to the package instructions.
- Drain the pasta and add it to the pan with the zucchini and shrimp. Toss everything together well.
- Serve immediately, garnished with additional peperoncino flakes or fresh chopped parsley if desired.
Nutrition
Pin for Later:
If you are interested in learning how to make homemade pasta and different types of gnocchi, check out my shop page for some great video online courses from my friends in Rome! Nothing beats learning to make pasta from Italians! Plus while you’re there why not order a copy of one of my pasta recipe cookbooks or checkout some recommended pasta making tools? All great prezzies for pasta lovers!
David Reynolds says
I made this recipe, but added scallops, to the seafood and used Casarecce pasta.
Ciabatta to soak up the leftover juices. ❤️
Jacqui says
Hi David, I love the idea of adding scallops to this recipe. I'm a big scallop fan! So glad you enjoyed it!
Anita says
I made this recipe using Mezzi Paccheri Rigati. The flavored are excellent. The only change I made was to sauté the zucchini and garlic until nearly finished before adding the prawns to keep the prawns for overcooking and becoming rubbery. Really great flavors!
Jacqui says
Thanks for your comment Anita! I agree this dish is very flavourful! I also love that it's so easy o make! Good tip about cooking the zucchini and garlic longer before adding the prawns.
Baguio Restaurants by Mae says
Nice recipe, it looks delicious. One quick question though, do you have any alternatives for zucchini?
Maman de sara says
I don’t think I added zucchinis to my pasta and why not! Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Kari Heron says
This pasta project blog was such a great idea and you have created such a lovely niche. Thanks for sharing this one with shrimp.
Krista says
Simple fresh ingredients! This is my kind of recipe! Love zucchini, can't wait to try this. Thanks for an amazing recipe!
Mimi says
Prawns taste incredibly well with garlic. It seems like the garlic brings out the best flavor you can get out of the prawns. And when you combine them with zucchini and add to pasta, the flavors must go through the roof! Fantastic recipe.
Jacqui says
Thank you Mimi! I agree, prawns are so delicious with garlic and combined with zucchini and pasta makes this dish a fab combination of flavours!