Compared with its compatriots (looking at you, tomatoes and stone fruit!), a bunch of squash at the bottom of the CSA box doesn’t elicit much celebration. But summer for me means finding new ways to cook with this underrated veggie. My favorite? This simple, silky sauce, made with zucchini, lots of shallots, and a tangle of anchovies. With all of the ingredients casually slung in a pot and cooked down until tender, the effort-to-reward ratio on this sauce is off the charts. Toasted buttered hazelnuts are the perfect punctuation, offering texture and nuttiness. Creamy without a drop of cream and packing nearly two pounds of zucchini (potassium! vitamin C!), this pasta is excellent alongside a few glasses of cold white wine. Seek out bright yellow zucchini such as Gold Bar for the sunniest color. —Shilpa Uskokovic
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What you’ll need
Dutch Oven
$80 At AmazonBlender
$40 At AmazonSmall Skillet
$23 At AmazonLarge Pot
$55 At AmazonCitrus Juicer
$8 At AmazonTongs
$13 At Amazon
Ingredients
4–6 servings
1½
1
6
10
⅓
1
1
½
2
1
2
Preparation
Step 1
Combine squash, shallots, garlic, anchovies, oil, red pepper flakes, and turmeric in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot; toss to coat. Place pot over medium heat, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are very tender but have not taken on much color, 20–25 minutes. Transfer to a blender; reserve pot. Blend squash mixture until smooth. Season squash purée with salt.
Step 2
Cook hazelnuts and butter in a small skillet over medium-low, stirring often, until nuts are just golden, 6–8 minutes (nuts will continue to cook off heat). Season with salt.
Step 3
Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until just shy of al dente, about 1 minute less than package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid.
Step 4
Transfer pasta to reserved pot; pour in squash purée and ½ cup pasta cooking liquid. Cook over medium-high heat, tossing often and adding more pasta cooking liquid a tablespoon or two at a time if needed, until sauce is thickened and coats pasta, about 2 minutes. Stir in lemon juice. Taste and season with more salt if needed.
Step 5
Divide pasta among shallow bowls or mound on a platter. Top with Parmesan and basil. Spoon hazelnuts over.
How would you rate Summer Squash Pasta With Just Enough Anchovies?
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Reviews (4)
Back to TopThis recipe is a keeper. I made it for my Mother and myself. I can't wait to share it with others. The leftovers are fantanstic. It also freezes well for future meals. The hazelnuts add a great flavor and crunch.
R Hill
Seattle, WA
6/14/2022
Great recipe! I was entertaining guests so used about half the anchovies just in case, topped it with pine nuts instead of hazelnuts, and just used Microplaned parm instead of shaving it. The sauce was fabulous and I was able to blend it right in the pot with my immersion blender after adding about 1/2 cup of water. This recipe is definitely a keeper.
Katie
Chattanooga, TN
6/7/2022
This was so good! Didn't have any nuts but topped with dairy free parmesan and it was lovely.
Abby
Atlanta, GA
6/1/2022
This dish is easy and delicious made from items always in my pantry. The puréed squash and anchovies thickens and makes a creamy sauce. A 2oz tin has about 10 filets. The hazelnuts are a key flavor factor. Will definitely make again.
CI
Dallas, TX
5/27/2022