Honestly, some of the best pasta dishes don’t come from complicated techniques or a long list of ingredients. Instead, they come from a really good selection of vegetables, a generous pour of olive oil, and some good cheese. This Spaghetti with Zucchini and Feta is exactly that. It’s bright, summery, and just rich enough to feel like a substantial meal without weighing you down. Sautéed zucchini, sweet red onion, and loads of fresh basil all tangled up in spaghetti, finished with a heap of crumbled feta on top.
If you’re looking for light pasta recipes, this zucchini pasta is perfect. The zucchini gets soft and almost buttery in the pan, the basil adds a nice fresh pop of flavour, and the feta brings just enough salt and tang to pull the dish together perfectly. It works as a main dish on its own, but also as a side alongside grilled chicken or fish. Want more light pasta dishes? Try my Fresh Tomato Pasta and my Orecchiette with Asparagus and Peas.
😍 Why You’ll Love This Spaghetti with Zucchini and Feta
It’s super fast: approximately 25 minutes start to finish, one pot for the pasta and one pan for everything else.
Light but satisfying: no heavy cream sauce here — just good olive oil, fresh vegetables, and that salty feta doing all the work.
Summer staple material: if you’ve got a garden drowning in zucchini right now, this recipe is your best friend.
Endlessly customizable: toss in whatever herbs you have, throw in some chili flakes, add a protein.
🥒 Ingredients You’ll Need to Make This Spaghetti with Zucchini and Feta
Spaghetti: the long strands pick up the oil and vegetable juices really nicely — use a good quality dry pasta and cook it al dente.
Extra virgin olive oil: and a generous amount of it. This is what ties the whole dish together, so don’t skimp or swap it out for a neutral oil.
Garlic: softens into the oil and zucchini and just becomes part of the background of the dish.
Red onion: sliced thin so it cooks down quickly and adds a little sweetness without overpowering everything.
Zucchini: slice it, salt it, and squeeze out the moisture before it goes in the pan — this step makes a real difference and keeps things from going watery.
Feta: crumbled and added at the very end so it stays chunky and briny rather than melting into the pasta.
Fresh basil: roughly torn and stirred in at the end.
Toasted breadcrumbs (optional): this one’s optional but I’d argue it’s non-negotiable. A small handful of seasoned Italian breadcrumbs adds a little crunch.
Red pepper flakes (optional): a pinch goes a long way if you want a bit of heat cutting through the richness of the olive oil and feta.
✔ How To Make Spaghetti with Zucchini and Feta
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente. While the pasta cooks, prepare the garlic, red onion, zucchini, and basil.
Lightly season the sliced zucchini with salt and let sit for about 5 minutes. Using your hands, gently squeeze out any excess moisture.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the red onion and sauté for 2–3 minutes, until softened.
Add the garlic and zucchini, and cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini is tender.Sammy’s tip: taste the zucchini as it cooks and adjust the salt if needed.
Stir in the fresh basil and cook for another minute, then remove from heat. Add the cooked spaghetti to the skillet and toss gently to combine.
Serve immediately, topped with crumbled feta, toasted breadcrumbs, red pepper flakes, and a drizzle of olive oil.
🗒 Variations
Add a protein: grilled shrimp or shredded rotisserie chicken folded in with the zucchini turns this into a more substantial dinner without any extra effort.
Go extra herby: mint works surprisingly well here alongside the basil — just use a smaller amount since it’s more assertive. Fresh thyme is another good option.
Char the zucchini: instead of sautéeing, toss the zucchini slices with olive oil and grill them or roast them at high heat.
🗒 Substitutions
Pasta shape: zucchini and feta work great with lots of different pastas — linguine, fettuccine, or even penne if that’s what you’ve got. The longer shapes are my preference but any will do.
Feta alternatives: goat cheese or ricotta salata both work well here if feta isn’t your thing.
Zucchini: yellow squash is a straight swap and brings a slightly sweeter flavour. You could also use a mix of both.
Fresh basil: flat-leaf parsley or fresh mint can both stand in if basil isn’t available.
🍴 Leftovers? Lucky you.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. To reheat, warm it in a skillet over medium-low heat with a small splash of olive oil and a tablespoon of water, tossing until heated through — this keeps it from drying out. The microwave works too if you’re in a hurry, just give it 45 seconds to a minute and stir halfway.
🤔 FAQ’s
Can I make this ahead of time?
You can prep the components ahead — slice and salt the zucchini, mince the garlic, chop the basil — but I’d recommend cooking and assembling it fresh.
My zucchini turned out watery and soggy. What went wrong?
Two things usually cause this: skipping the salting step, or crowding the pan. Salting draws out the moisture before it hits the heat, and giving the zucchini enough room in the skillet lets it sauté rather than steam. If your pan isn’t big enough, cook the zucchini in two batches.
What kind of feta works best?
Block feta packed in brine is what you want. It’s creamier, more flavourful, and crumbles into satisfying chunky pieces rather than the fine, dry crumbles you get from the pre-shredded bags.
Can I make this gluten-free?
Just swap the spaghetti for your favourite gluten-free pasta and use gluten-free breadcrumbs if you’re adding those.
Is this recipe vegetarian?
Yes. Every ingredient is plant-based, so it works well as a vegetarian main. If you want to make it vegan, just leave out the feta or swap it for a plant-based alternative.
👩🍳 Hungry For More?
If you loved this Spaghetti with Zucchini and Feta, here are a few more recipes you might want to try next:
💌 Let’s Stay Connected
Keep in touch with me on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Pinterest! If you do make this zucchini pasta recipe (or any recipe of mine) don’t forget to leave a review.
Spaghetti with Zucchini and Feta
Ingredients
- 1 box spaghetti, 350 grams
- 3/4 cup olive oil, extra virgin
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 small/medium red onion, sliced thin
- 3 zucchini, sliced
- 3/4 cup feta, crumbled
- 1/3 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped
- salt to taste
- seasoned Italian breadcrumbs, lightly toasted, optional
- red pepper flakes, optional
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente.
- While the pasta cooks, prepare the garlic, red onion, zucchini, and basil.
- Lightly season the sliced zucchini with salt and let sit for about 5 minutes. Using your hands, gently squeeze out any excess moisture.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the red onion and sauté for 2–3 minutes, until softened.
- Add the garlic and zucchini, and cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini is tender.Sammy’s tip: taste the zucchini as it cooks and adjust the salt if needed.
- Stir in the fresh basil and cook for another minute, then remove from heat.
- Add the cooked spaghetti to the skillet and toss gently to combine.
- Serve immediately, topped with crumbled feta, toasted breadcrumbs, red pepper flakes, and a drizzle of olive oil.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made this lastnight and it was delicious! So light and full of flavour. We really loved it!
Hi Kim! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. I am so happy you liked this recipe! It’s one of my favs as well. -Sammy
Saved as a favorite, I really like your blog!
So easy to make, and so delicious!
So easy to make and delicious
So good! Loved it with the feta – so much better than other zucchini pasta recipes that I’ve tried!