Gnocchi Aglio e Olio with Zucchini

Gnocchi Aglio e Olio with Zucchini. Zucchini sauteed with garlic and oil and combined with gnocchi and grated cheese.

I present the first zucchini of the 2024 garden season with this gnocchi aglio e olio with zucchini recipe (courgetti aglio e olio).

I have been staring at my zucchini plants for the past few weeks waiting for the day of the first flowers. After countless hours of looking for squash bugs and pruning, the first flowers popped! And a few days later several baby zucchini.

When I lived in New Jersey squash bugs and squash vine borer were not a big issue, but here in Maryland I am lucky to get a few zucchini before the bugs attack in June.

I do not spray my plants so I try to grow the healthiest plants possible so they can withstand any pests. In addition, I start a second round of squash plants that I transplant out in July/August for a fall harvest (after the bugs are gone).

So, I will treasure the zucchini I get before the squash bugs become a problem. With the three small zucchinis I picked I made this wonder version of pasta aglio e olio. Instead of pasta, I used gnocchi and added zucchini. Pasta with garlic and oil is a family staple, which I make a few times a month.

With fresh herbs and vegetables from the garden, not to mention my homegrown garlic, pasta with garlic and oil is even more special to me.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do, well it might not be possible to like it as much as me, but I do hope you enjoy it. With less than 10 ingredients this recipe is simple but does not sacrifice flavor for simplicity.

How To Make Gnocchi Aglio e Olio with Zucchini

Cooking the Gnocchi:

• Prepare the gnocchi according to the package instructions. Reserve 4 ounces of the gnocchi water for later use.

Preparing the Zucchini:

• In a large skillet add in the olive oil and bring to a high heat. Next, add in the garlic and sauté for 2 minutes, mixing occasionally.
• Next, add in the zucchini, salt, and ground black pepper and sauté for 5 minutes, mixing occasionally.

Bringing the Gnocchi Aglio e Olio Together:

• Continuing high heat, add the cooked gnocchi and water and sauté for 2 minutes, mixing occasionally.

How To Serve Gnocchi Aglio e Olio with Zucchini

Serve this gnocchi aglio e olio with zucchini recipe with more grated cheese to taste.

Invent Your Recipe:

For this gnocchi aglio e olio with zucchini recipe (courgetti aglio e olio), I am using zucchini as my vegetable of choice. However, you can use any vegetable you like. I recommend eggplant, yellow squash, green beans, asparagus, spinach, broccoli, and cauliflower. The sky is the limit here. Mix up the ingredients and find your favorite combination of veggies.

Instead of gnocchi, you could use any pasta you like. I would recommend, penne, rigatoni, gemelli, or ziti. You could also use a long pasta like spaghetti, linguini, fettuccini, or angel hair. However, I prefer the smaller pasta with vegetables.

If you do not have oil, you could make this recipe with butter. If so, sauté the vegetables on a lower heat so you do not burn the butter. Additionally, you could always use a little more starchy water if you would like to reduce the amount of oil you use. If you add more water, allow some additional sauté (or simmer time if there is enough water) time so the liquid can reduce a bit.

If you enjoy gnocchi and have a few more recipes you can check out here: Gnocchi and Tomatoes Recipe Series

Additionally, my most popular and shared recipe is this Whole Wheat Pasta Aglio e Olio Recipe with Broccoli. I recommend you give it a try.

For more ideas like this gnocchi aglio e olio with zucchini, or other pasta with garlic and oil dishes, check out our pasta recipes.

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