Linguini al dente with zucchini, anchovies, and peperoncini ready in just 15 minutes. Bold flavor, minimal ingredients, zero fuss. If you’re looking for a pasta that tastes like the Mediterranean but is ready before you finish your first glass of wine, this is it.
The zucchini stays firm and almost crisp, the anchovies melt into the oil creating a deep, savory sauce, and the peperoncini add just the right kick to make it completely addictive.
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A Recipe That’s Here to Stay
This is one of those recipes I treasure from my time living in Southern California. I had a thriving kitchen garden where I grew almost all my own produce.
The thing was, you’d suddenly find yourself with an abundance of tomatoes, or eggplant, or zucchini — all at once — and you had to get creative to keep things interesting.
So when I came across Neil Perry’s recipe for this zucchini pasta —one that also called for garlic, anchovies, and peperoncini— I thought: bingo! I have a thing for bold flavors, and the way they play off the mildness of the zucchini here is just perfect.
I first published this recipe in the summer of 2010. The photos were terrible — I’d taken them on a BlackBerry (I know, hard to believe, but it’s true). So I reshot the whole thing in the spring of 2019.
Back in 2010, zucchini noodles weren’t even a thing yet. So a proper bowl of pasta —my favorite food— loaded with sautéed zucchini, garlic, anchovies, and peperoncini was, and still is, the best. I hope you love it as much as I do.
Enjoy!
Enri
Ingredients
To make this zucchini and anchovy pasta you’ll need:
- Linguini
- Zucchini
- Garlic cloves
- Anchovy fillets in olive oil
- Red pepper flakes (peperoncini)
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Grated Parmesan cheese (Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano)
Exact quantities are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Mediterranean Pasta with Zucchini and Anchovies
- Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil and cook the linguini al dente according to package directions. Reserve some of the pasta cooking water before draining.
- Build the anchovy base. Heat the olive oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. Mash the anchovy fillets in a mortar until you have a paste, then add them to the pan along with the minced garlic. Cook briefly, just until the garlic is fragrant and the anchovies have melted into the oil.
- Sauté the zucchini. Add the grated zucchini and red pepper flakes. Sauté, stirring constantly, until the zucchini is tender but still has some bite. Don’t overcook — you want texture, not mush.
- Toss and serve. Add the drained linguini to the pan and toss well so the pasta soaks up all the flavors. Add a splash of the reserved pasta water and toss until emulsified. Serve immediately with plenty of grated Parmesan on top.
FAQs
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Mediterranean Pasta Recipe with Zucchini and Anchovies
Ingredients
- 1 package linguini 456 g
- 6 cups zucchini grated (720 g)
- 6 garlic cloves minced (30 g)
- 2 cans anchovy fillets in olive oil 56 g
- Red pepper flakes peperoncini to taste
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 45 ml
- Parmesan cheese grated to taste
Instructions
- Cook the linguini in a large pot of well-salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup (120 ml) of the pasta cooking water before draining.
- While the pasta cooks, mash the anchovy fillets in a mortar until you get a smooth paste.
- Heat the 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of olive oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and anchovy paste. Cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant and the anchovies have melted into the oil.
- Add the grated zucchini and red pepper flakes. Sauté over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until the zucchini is tender but still has some bite.
- Add the drained linguini to the pan and toss well to combine. Add a splash of the reserved pasta water and toss until emulsified.
- Serve immediately with plenty of grated Parmesan on top.
Nutrition
Notes
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