1-First, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta. While that’s heating up, dice the zucchini small and halve the tomatoes, removing the seeds before dicing them to match the zucchini size leave the skin on for extra texture. Mince the garlic to get that aromatic punch. It’s a small step, but it makes all the difference, just like when I first learned this from a friend who loves cooking with fresh produce.

2-Next, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add the diced tomatoes, zucchini, and minced garlic, then sauté until the zucchini is cooked through and just starting to color. Turn off the heat once it’s done this usually takes about 5-7 minutes. In the meantime, cook the spaghetti in the boiling water until it’s al dente, which means it’s firm but not hard. Don’t forget to reserve about 1 cup of the cooking water before draining.

3-Now, add the drained spaghetti straight to the pan with the veggies. Toss it all together with 2 tablespoons of salted butter and a splash of that reserved pasta water. Let it sit for about a minute so the pasta absorbs the sauce. Finally, serve it right away, topped with grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese to taste. If you’re like me, adding fresh basil at the end brings an extra layer of flavor that makes the dish pop.