Foodie Fridays: Creamy Zucchini Sauce

With zucchini from my garden threatening to take over my kitchen countertops, I am at the moment constantly on the lookout for more ways to use up as much zucchini as possible!  I found a recipe for Creamy Zucchini Sauce that calls for a huge amount of shredded zucchini, which is cooked down into a wonderfully rich and creamy sauce for pasta, or any starchy base you like (I used potatoes as seen in the above image).  Please note that you DO NOT squeeze the moisture from the shredded zucchini, as the liquid is needed as part of the recipe for cooking down the squash.

Of course I had to simplify the recipe even more thanks to my basic laziness when it comes to cooking.  I reduced the amount of olive oil because I thought 3/4 C. was rather excessive (1/4 C. worked just fine).  The original recipe calls for fresh basil, oregano, and mint, but I made this sauce very late at night and was reluctant to spend a lot of time trying to find my garden herbs in the dark.  I decided to only harvest fresh basil and make do with dried Italian seasoning as a substitute for the other two herbs.  I omitted both the red pepper flakes and black pepper included in the original recipe because I am not really a fan of either one.  Since I had a small amount of leftover pesto in the fridge I threw it into the sauce for more flavor, but you could probably omit it if you like, or add more.  And instead of Romano cheese, which I did not have, I substituted equal amounts of shredded Monterey jack and grated cotija cheese.

Despite all of my changes, the sauce turned out quite well.  It is definitely not a low-fat food so use it sparingly, but it is quite delicious and makes a very satisfying meal.  Don't be surprised if you see another summer squash recipe here next week - even though this recipe used up three good-sized zucchini I still have a plentiful supply to get through!

Creamy Zucchini Sauce

1/4 C. olive oil
1 C. diced sweet onion
1 1/2 T. minced garlic
2 1/2 lbs. zucchini, shredded
1 tsp. salt (I used half that amount)
1 T. Italian seasoning
1 C. heavy cream
2 T. pesto
4 T. chopped fresh basil
3/4 C. grated Romano cheese

Heat 2 T. olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and sauté for 3 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Add the remaining oil, then stir in the zucchini, salt, and Italian seasoning.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure the mixture does not stick to the skillet.

Remove the cover from the skillet and add the cream, pesto, and fresh basil.  Heat the sauce through.  Add the cheese and stir until melted and smooth.  If the sauce is too thick, add a bit of water.  Serve the sauce over cooked pasta or potatoes.  Serves 8.