Spaghetti alla Nerano is one of those dishes that perfectly captures the beauty of Italian cooking. A handful of fresh ingredients come together to create a pasta that’s light, flavorful, and incredibly satisfying. The zucchini become sweet and tender, the Parmigiano melts into a silky sauce, and a little lemon zest brightens everything up at the end.
This version isn’t strictly traditional, but rather my own take on the classic. Whenever I spot zucchini blossoms at the market, I can’t resist bringing them home. Growing up, my summers in Italy were filled with zucchini flowers picked straight from my Nonna’s garden. The plants seemed to produce endless blossoms, and they would find their way into everything from pasta to fritters.
That’s one of the reasons I love this recipe so much. It uses both the zucchini and the blossoms, celebrating the entire plant while creating a dish that feels fresh, seasonal, and unmistakably summer.
Why You’ll Love Spaghetti alla Nerano
- Simple Ingredients, Big Flavor A few fresh ingredients come together to create a surprisingly elegant pasta.
- A Celebration of Summer Produce Zucchini and zucchini blossoms shine in this seasonal dish.
- Light Yet Satisfying Rich enough to feel special, without feeling heavy.
- Inspired by Italian Summers Fresh herbs, good olive oil, and seasonal vegetables are the stars of the show.
🍲 Ingredients
- Zucchini blossoms – Delicate and slightly sweet, they add another layer of zucchini flavor while allowing us to use the entire vegetable.
- Zucchini – The star of the dish. Frying them brings out their natural sweetness and creates the foundation of the sauce.
- Garlic – Thinly sliced and gently cooked in the zucchini-infused oil.
- Extra virgin olive oil – More than just a cooking fat here, it becomes part of the sauce itself.
- Fresh basil – Adds freshness and a classic summer flavor.
- Lemon zest – Brightens the entire dish and balances the richness of the cheese and olive oil.
- Parmigiano – Melts into the pasta, helping create a silky, glossy finish.
- Spaghetti or bucatini – Long pasta works best for catching all of the zucchini and sauce.
- Salt and black pepper – Essential for bringing all of the flavors together.
👩🍳 How to Make Spaghetti alla Nerano
- Prepare the vegetables Clean the zucchini blossoms and remove the pistils. Slice the zucchini into ¼-inch rounds and thinly slice the garlic.
- Fry the zucchini Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry the zucchini in a single layer until lightly golden on both sides. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, season with a pinch of salt, and continue working in batches as needed.
- Cook the blossoms In the same skillet, add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Add the zucchini blossoms and cook until wilted, about 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper.
- Cook the pasta Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti until about 2 minutes shy of al dente. Reserve plenty of pasta water.
- Build the sauce Transfer the pasta directly into the skillet with the zucchini blossoms. Add a splash of pasta water and begin tossing to combine.
- Finish the pasta Add the fried zucchini, basil, lemon zest, and Parmigiano. Continue tossing, adding more pasta water as needed, until the cheese melts and the sauce becomes glossy and silky.
- Serve immediately Taste and adjust the seasoning. Finish with additional Parmigiano, fresh basil, and plenty of black pepper.
🪄 Tips and Tricks
- Remove the pistils from the zucchini blossoms to avoid any bitterness.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan when frying the zucchini or they’ll steam instead of brown.
- Save more pasta water than you think you’ll need, it’s the key to creating a silky sauce.
- Finely grate the Parmigiano so it melts smoothly into the pasta.
- Turn off the heat before adding the cheese to help prevent clumping.
My Pro Tip
Cheffy Plating Tip
One of my favorite little restaurant tricks is plating pasta with a carving fork and a ladle. It helps create those beautiful pasta nests you see in restaurants and takes just a few extra seconds.
🗒 Substitutions
- If you can’t find zucchini blossoms, simply omit them and use an additional zucchini.
- Bucatini works beautifully in place of spaghetti.
- Pecorino Romano can replace a portion of the Parmigiano for a sharper flavor.
- Mint can be added alongside the basil for an extra fresh summer finish.
🧊 Leftovers
This pasta is best enjoyed immediately while the sauce is silky and glossy.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of water to loosen the sauce.
FAQ
Spaghetti alla Nerano is a pasta dish from the Campania region of Italy made with zucchini, cheese, and pasta water. This version includes zucchini blossoms, lemon zest, and basil for a seasonal twist.
Absolutely. Simply increase the amount of zucchini and continue with the recipe as written.
The sauce relies on pasta water and cheese emulsifying together. Continue tossing and add small splashes of pasta water until the sauce becomes glossy.
Yes. Bucatini is my favorite alternative, but other long pasta shapes like linguine work well too.
Spaghetti alla Nerano
Ingredients
- 1 package zucchini blossoms, about 10–15, cleaned
- 2 small zucchini, or 1 large zucchini, sliced into ¼-inch rounds
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- ⅓ –½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 10 –15 fresh basil leaves
- Zest of 1 lemon
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano
- ½ pound spaghetti or bucatini
- Salt, to taste
- Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Clean the zucchini blossoms and remove the pistils. Slice the zucchini and garlic.
- Fry the zucchini until golden and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Season lightly with salt.
- Cook the garlic and zucchini blossoms until softened and fragrant.
- Cook the pasta until 2 minutes shy of al dente.
- Transfer the pasta directly to the skillet with a splash of pasta water.
- Add the zucchini, basil, lemon zest, and Parmigiano.
- Toss until glossy, adding additional pasta water as needed.
- Adjust seasoning and serve immediately with extra Parmigiano and basil.
