Alison Roman’s Zucchini Pasta Salad: A Pantry-Friendly Life Saver
It was one of those days. The kind where you’re deep in the trenches of coding (or insert any other hyper-focused, brain-draining activity), and suddenly—boom—realization hits: We haven’t eaten all day. Immediate crisis. Hunger level: critical.
So, naturally, we did what any responsible, well-fed adult would do—we panic-scrolled through The YouTube in search of a meal that wouldn’t require a grocery run, a three-hour braise, or a level of effort beyond “chop, toss, devour.” Enter: Alison Roman’s Home Movies Zucchini Pasta Salad
Why This Recipe Worked (Even in a Hunger Crisis)
- Quick & No-Fuss: If you can slice zucchini and boil pasta, you’re already 90% there.
- Pantry-Friendly: This dish is built on staples—zucchini, capers, olive oil, lemon, pasta, and parmesan (which we swapped for the vegan version). No obscure ingredients, no culinary gymnastics.
- Unexpectedly Delicious: Capers and zucchini? A duo we wouldn’t have necessarily put together, but somehow, it just works.
Our Experience Making It
This recipe was a pleasant surprise. Sometimes, “simple” can mean “boring,” but not this time. The bright acidity of the capers balanced out the soft, seared zucchini, while the lemony dressing tied everything together in a way that felt effortless yet restaurant-level good. The parmesan (or our plant-based alternative) gave it that salty bite, proving that sometimes, the best meals come from just using what you have.
Would we make it again? Absolutely. It’s the kind of meal that rescues you from the brink of hanger-induced destruction, requires minimal effort, and somehow still makes you feel like a put-together adult who eats well on purpose.
If you’re looking for something quick, fresh, and easy to throw together, Alison Roman’s Home Movies Zucchini Pasta Salad is a winner.
You can find the original recipe here. —go forth and toss that salad.
WINE & TOOLS TO USE
Alison Roman’s Home Movies Zucchini Pasta Salad
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Knife
- Sieve
- Rubber spatula
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil, plus more if you like
- ½ cup walnut pieces, (60 g) or almonds, coarsely chopped
- kosher salt, pinch
- freshly ground black pepper
- 2 scallion bunches
- crushed red pepper flakes, optional
- 1 lb zucchini, or 2 medium sized, thinly sliced
- 50 g capers, drained, depending on how much you like capers
- 8 oz pasta, such as rigatoni or another tubular shape
- 3 garlic cloves, finely grated
- 1.5 lemons, juiced or 2 tbs/28 grams vinegar
- 3 oz parmesan, (60–90 g) coarsely chopped
- 1 cup fresh leafy herbs such as parsley, cilantro, dill, and/or mint., spriggy
Instructions
- Heat 1/4 cup oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add walnuts and fry them till deeply golden brown, smelling almost like popcorn, 2–3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon if you have it, remove nuts (leaving oil behind) and transfer to a small bowl; season with salt and set aside.
- Thinly slice about 1/3 of the scallions and set aside. Coarsely chop the remaining scallions (light and white green parts– the whole thing!) and add to the skillet with oil. Season with salt and pepper and cook over medium-high heat until they’re lightly browned at the edges and completely tender, bordering on “melty,” 8–10 minutes. Add crushed red pepper flakes if using, then add half the zucchini.
- Season zucchini with salt and pepper and let it cook down until tender and translucent, 10–15 minutes. This time will vary depending on the zucchini– larger squash has more water and will take longer to get to that melty translucent stage, but just stir or shake your skillet occasionally, taste one every now and then, and be patient. Once it’s there, add the remaining zucchini (you should have more space in your skillet now) and season again with salt and pepper. Add capers and cook zucchini until it’s wilted and tender, but still has a little bite, another 5–8 minutes or so (you want some very soft, tender zucchini and some less so).
- Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of salted water until just past al dente (you aren’t cooking it again, so it should be basically fully cooked without feeling mushy). Drain and rinse under cold water; set aside.
- Transfer the zucchini mixture to a large mixing bowl and add garlic, the juice of 1 lemon, and remaining thinly sliced raw scallion; season everything with salt and pepper. Add pasta and gently toss to coat (I don’t even like using a spoon here, just some casual bowl tossing). Season again with more crushed red pepper flakes and lemon juice if you think it needs it.
- Add half the parmesan, walnuts and herbs and toss to coat. Transfer to a serving bowl (you can also serve out of the bowl you just made it in) and top with remaining parmesan, nuts and herbs.
Did you make this recipe?
Please let us know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @moody.eater on Instagram and hashtag it #moodyeater #moodyeatersclub .
