• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • meet the team
  • blogger resources
  • Contact Me
My Account
Member Dashboard
40 Aprons Premium (Ad Free!)

40 Aprons

Delicious, Healthy-ish Meals for the Whole Family

  • All Recipes
  • Most Popular
    • Cheryl’s Favorites
    • 30-Minute Recipes
    • Creamy Soups
    • Copycat Recipes
    • Casseroles
    • One-Dish Wonders
  • Method
    • Air Fryer
    • Baking
    • Crockpot
    • Grilling
    • Instant Pot
    • Sous Vide
  • Course
    • Appetizers
    • Cooking Basics
    • Breakfast
    • Condiments
    • Dessert
    • Main Course
    • Meal Prep
    • Side Dishes
    • Soups
  • Cuisine
    • American
    • Asian
    • Indian
    • Italian
    • Mediterranean
    • Mexican & Latin
    • Southern
Home Blog Dietary Concern Gluten Free

Fried Zucchini Basil Gluten-Free Pasta with Fresh Mozzarella

Cheryl Malik
Cheryl Malik Posted: 06/08/16 Updated: 12/09/20
5
/5
62 Comments
Jump to Recipe
GF Gluten Free VG Vegetarian

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

Fried Zucchini Basil Gluten-Free Pasta with Fresh MozzarellaWe don’t use white flour pasta too often and this is why at our house, “regular” pasta is a treat, and everyone feels sad for my husband.*

Fried Zucchini Basil Gluten-Free Pasta with Fresh MozzarellaI’m not into whole wheat pasta that much, either, so when I noticed gluten free pastas on the shelf, I got dorkily excited and bought way too much. Are we gluten-free? Nooooo. No one in my family has any sort of allergy, there’s no celiac, none of that. But gluten-free pastas are usually made from ingredients that do actually provide nutritional value, and I’m all about that. I also dig the texture way more, depending on the variety, finding it actually closer to white pasta than whole wheat. Mysteries of life, you guys. Fried Zucchini Basil Gluten-Free Pasta with Fresh MozzarellaI fell in love with this combination of flavors from Yotam Ottolenghi’s cookbook “Plenty” a couple years back and started craving it as soon as the crispness bowed out of the air, replaced by an early humidity and late sunset. It sounds weird, maybe: fried zucchini, capers, fresh basil, lemon, fresh mozzarella, edamame? I mean, that’s not your go-to pasta combo at the casino pasta station, right? But you know what? It damn well should be! Fried Zucchini Basil Gluten-Free Pasta with Fresh MozzarellaI don’t know what it is or how Ottolenghi does it, but the briny capers are so striking, yet understated, against the beautifully browned zucchini. As for lemon and basil, obviously – we love those always. Fresh mozzarella? So beautiful with the lemon, so creamy and perfect a canvas against the capers! And the fresh, tender nuttiness of the edamame is just right paired with the herbaceous fresh basil. There’s so much flavor, but none overwhelms the other.  Fried Zucchini Basil Gluten-Free Pasta with Fresh Mozzarella We made this for dinner and ate it right away, but O also ate it for lunch and said it was just as good (if not better?) after a day or two. It’s the sort of dish you can make ahead and serve for an elegant summer dinner party when you want to impress everyone but be all like super chill the whole party, like “This? Like it’s hard?” I mean, I’m assuming that’s what everyone else does because they are all super chill when they throw a party and me, I’m all like EVERYONE GET THE FRICK OUT OF THE KITCHEN RIGHT NOW BEFORE I STAB YOU. Hosting intensity, this one.  Fried Zucchini Basil Gluten-Free Pasta with Fresh MozzarellaI used Ronzoni Gluten Free® Penne for this recipe and fell. in. love. Ronzoni sent me a ton of pasta to share my thoughts with you (and by a ton, I mean literally 50 pounds. No, you can’t have any), and my thoughts are – in all honesty – this stuff is amazing. It’s by far the closest gluten-free sub for white pasta I’ve found, and includes corn, rice, and quinoa flour (no guilt there, like nada). It’s super affordable, too, unlike most gluten-free pastas! They also make it in a dedicated gluten-free factory, so if you are cooking for an allergy, you can rest easy. This recipe is based on Yotam Ottolenghi’s recipe in “Plenty”, but I changed a few things. First off, I reduced the basil to only 1 cup (from 2), because um, I don’t have a huge basil plant/I’m not a millionaire. I also added garlic, because GARLIC.

Hey – you’ve made it this far, so now we’re basically best friends! If you make this recipe, I’d love for you to give it a quick review & star rating ★ below. Make sure you follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, and Facebook, too!

Fried Zucchini Basil Gluten-Free Pasta with Fresh Mozzarella
5 from 7 votes

Fried Zucchini Basil Gluten-Free Pasta with Fresh Mozzarella

Prep:10 minutes
Cook:17 minutes
Total:27 minutes
Flavorful gluten-free pasta with pan-fried zucchini, lots of basil, and fresh mozzarella. A beautiful summer dinner recipe.
Print Save Saved! Click Here to Remove Ads
4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp Salt and black pepper
  • 2/3 cup oil for frying
  • 3 medium zucchini , cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 1 cup basil leaves , coarsely chopped
  • 1/3 cup parsley leaves
  • 2 cloves garlic , peeled and smashed
  • 1/3 cup + 1/2 tablespoon olive oil , divided
  • 3/4 cup frozen edamame or peas , fresh or frozen
  • 3 cups Ronzoni Gluten Free® penne pasta
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 whole Juice of 1 lemon
  • 2 tablespoons capers
  • 8 ounces fresh mozzarella , torn into chunks
  • 1 tbsp Salt and freshly-ground black pepper
  • 1 tbsp Fresh basil leaves , shredded, to garnish (optional)

Instructions 

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat.
  • Fry the zucchini: Meanwhile, heat frying oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry zucchini slices in batches for about 3-4 minutes, flipping once, 'til golden brown on both sides. Drain zucchini in a colander and sprinkle with a couple pinches of salt. Transfer to a large bowl and pour white wine vinegar on top.
  • Make the herb sauce: combine the basil, parsley, garlic, and olive oil in a food processor or blender. Process or blend 'til smooth and season with salt and pepper.
  • Cook the edamame: In boiling water, boil edamame for 3 minutes (frozen peas for 3-4 minutes). Use a handled strainer to remove edamame and run cooler water over until lukewarm. Set aside.
  • Cook the pasta: cook pasta according to package directions. Be careful - gluten-free pasta is more likely to overcook, so keep an eye on it. After pasta is cooked, drain and rinse with warm water. Toss with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil.
  • Transfer pasta back to empty pot. Add fried zucchini and any juices, herb sauce, edamame or peas, lemon zest, lemon juice, capers and mozzarella. Stir gently together, then season generously with salt and pepper.

Notes

Season generously with salt and pepper.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 4g, Calories: 1018kcal, Carbohydrates: 70g, Protein: 26g, Fat: 71g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Cholesterol: 45mg, Sodium: 3965mg, Potassium: 343mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 1355IU, Vitamin C: 21mg, Calcium: 331mg, Iron: 2mg, Net Carbs: 65g

Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

 

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

 

To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.

© Author: Cheryl Malik

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @40aprons on social and be sure to leave a review on the blog post!

Rate Recipe Tag Me on Instagram

*Obviously they don’t feel bad for my husband, because.. Fried Zucchini Basil Gluten-Free Pasta with Fresh Mozzarella

Cheryl Malik

Meet Cheryl Malik

Cheryl Malik is the recipe developer, writer, and photographer behind the healthy, flavorful, family friendly recipes at 40 Aprons. She's been a blogger for 10+ years and is known for her delicious recipes and detailed recipe instructions. Cheryl is a mom of three who lives in Memphis, TN.

Read more...

You may also like...

  • Slices of gluten free zucchini bread angled against each other on a white surface
    Gluten Free Zucchini Bread
  • Orange Glazed Grilled Zucchini (Paleo, Gluten Free)
  • Syrup being poured on a stack of fluffy gluten-free pancakes
    Fluffy Gluten-Free Pancakes

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Have a question? Submit your question or comment below.

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. Betty C says

    Posted on 11/13/16 at 1:51 pm

    Tweet – https://twitter.com/willitara/status/797889562865504256

    Reply
  2. Betty C says

    Posted on 11/13/16 at 1:48 pm

    I love pasta in any way, shape, or form. I especially love fettuccine alfredo.

    Reply
Older Comments

Primary Sidebar

What’s Popular?

Side view of a glass of cucumber margarita with cucumber garnish in front of a pitcher of margaritas.

Cucumber Margarita on the Rocks (By the Glass or Pitcher)

Overhead view of a fish taco bowl with mango salsa and red cabbage slaw.

Blackened Fish Taco Bowls with Mango Salsa and Cilantro-Lime Rice

Overhead view of 4 salmon fillets in a large silver saucepan with red pepper parmesan sauce.

Pan-Seared Salmon in a Creamy Red Pepper Parmesan Sauce

Close up, slightly overhead angle of apple salad in a large bowl, with whole apples in the background

Crisp Apple Salad with Raisins and Pecans

In Season

Three paleo lemon bars stacked on top of each other. A bite is missing from the corner of the lemon bar on top. Other lemon bars surround the stack, just out of focus.

Paleo Lemon Bars

Top-down, overhead view of a Crockpot-cooked marry me chicken breast with sauce atop a bed of mashed potatoes in a large white bowl.

Crockpot Marry Me Chicken

Side view of two wine glasses holding POG juice mimosas with a carafe of pog juice in the background.

POG Juice Mimosas

Overhead view of a long oval salad boat with strawberry goat cheese salad and balsamic vinaigrette.

Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

As seen on:

More Goodies + NO Ads!

Become a 40 Aprons Premium Member!

All the 40 Aprons content you love - now even better.

  • Member-Exclusive Recipes
  • Meal Plans & Grocery Lists
  • eBooks
  • NO ADS!
Join now

Privacy Policy

Accessibility

Disclaimers

Contact

© 2023 40 Aprons
Site Credits Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled
Back to Top
39 shares