Prep: 10 This Vegetarian Zucchini Spaghetti with Red Sauce & Mushrooms is everything I love about pasta night, just lighter and loaded with veggies! I’ve been making this recipe for YEARS and it’s still one of my go-to healthy summer dinners. Made with spiralized zucchini, garlicky sautéed mushrooms, and a creamy tomato sauce blended with white beans for plant-based protein, this easy meal comes together in about 45 minutes. Every bite is so full of delicious flavor!
Vegetarian Zucchini Spaghetti with Red Sauce & Mushrooms
It’s no secret that I love cozy pasta dinners, like my Creamy Lemon Garlic Pasta and Chicken Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta. This zucchini spaghetti recipe has also been one of my top summer faves for years! It’s incredibly easy to make, it’s veggie-forward, hearty, fresh, and SO good.
The combo of sautéed mushrooms, creamy tomato-bean sauce, and fresh zucchini noodles tastes next level and comes together easily with just a few healthy ingredients. Savory and filling, even my kids love this recipe! Whether you’re looking for an easy vegetarian dinner, wanting to add more veggies into your daily meals, or just looking for a delicious way to use up all that summer zucchini, this recipe never disappoints!
You’ll Also Love: Healthy Shrimp Scampi w/ Zucchini Noodles
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- 45 Minutes Total – Quick and simple with just a few steps and minimal cleanup, it’s perfect for busy weeknights.
- Vegetarian & Gluten-Free – A plant-based, naturally gluten-free dinner packed with whole foods and plant-based protein.
- Meal-Prep Friendly – Leftovers store and reheat beautifully and taste even better the next day.
- Customizable – Swap or add ingredients based on what you have on hand and like best.
- Next-Level Sauce – The sauce is truly the star of the show here! It’s SO flavorful and hearty. I love topping it off with vegetarian parmesan, fresh basil, and pine nuts!
Ingredients
Zucchini Noodles
- Zucchini – Spiralized into noodles. Use 4 medium zucchinis or more if you plan to sauté them (since they shrink down a bit). Or you can always buy pre-spiralized zucchini to save time!
- Butter or Avocado Oil (optional) – If you prefer cooked noodles, a quick sauté adds great texture.
Mushrooms
- Avocado Oil – For sautéing the onions and mushrooms.
- Yellow Onion – Finely diced for savory depth. White onion also works, but isn’t as sweet.
- Baby Bella Mushrooms – Chopped small for a hearty, meaty texture. Don’t skip the stems. They add even more flavor!
- Sea Salt – Helps draw out moisture from the mushrooms, preventing them from being soggy.
- Fresh Garlic – Minced and added at the end for maximum flavor. Pre-minced garlic works in a pinch.
Zucchini Mushroom Red Sauce
- Crushed Tomatoes (opens in a new tab) – Half blended with beans for a creamy texture, half stirred in for a classic chunky sauce.
- Cannellini Beans – Add creaminess, fiber, and protein to the sauce.
- Italian Seasoning (opens in a new tab) – A simple way to infuse herb flavor.
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper – Essential seasoning to tie everything together.
- Water – Helps loosen the sauce to the right consistency.
Garnishes
- Fresh Basil – For color and freshness.
- Vegetarian Parmesan – Grated on top for richness.
- Pine Nuts – Optional, but adds crunch and buttery flavor.
Also Try: Vegan Ramen Soup w/ Zucchini Noodles
How to Make Zucchini Noodles with Mushrooms
Don’t worry if you’ve never spiralized zucchini! It’s super easy to do, and this recipe only takes about 15 minutes of prep time. You’ll need a large skillet, a veggie spiralizer (I like this handheld one (opens in a new tab)), and a blender. Here’s how to make Zucchini Spaghetti with plant-based sauce:
- Sauté the Onion & Mushrooms – Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and sauté the onion. Once soft, add the chopped mushrooms, and continue to cook until the moisture evaporates.
- Season – Stir in the garlic and salt, and continue to cook for a couple of minutes. Then, shut off the heat.
- Make the Sauce – Blend half of the crushed tomatoes with the beans. Then, stir in the rest of the tomatoes, seasoning, and water. Simmer to meld the flavors and thicken.
- Assemble – Serve zucchini noodles with a large ladle of the tomato sauce, cooked mushrooms, fresh basil, and parmesan. Enjoy!
Pro Tip: Want cooked noodles? Just sauté the spiralized zucchini in a bit of oil for 5–8 minutes. Keep in mind that the noodles shrink as they cook. So, you may want to spiralize a little extra!
Tips
- Chop the Mushrooms Small – This helps create a rich, hearty texture that blends seamlessly into the sauce.
- Time-Saver – Spiralize your zucchini while the mushrooms cook to speed things up!
- Cut Long Noodles – Zucchini noodles can get very long. A few quick chops make them much easier to eat.
- Drain Excess Liquid – If eating the zucchini raw, pat dry with a paper towel to avoid soggy bowls.
- Food Processor Shortcut – Pulse mushrooms a few times in a food processor if you want to save chopping time.
- Use the Stems – Don’t toss those mushroom stems—they’re packed with flavor and cook down beautifully!
RELATED: Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti Squash Casserole
Variations
Want to switch things up? Here are a few fun ways to customize this Zucchini Spaghetti Recipe:
- Spice – Add red pepper flakes to the sauce, or sauté the mushrooms with a pinch of chili powder to amp up the heat.
- Zucchini Spaghetti with Parmesan Cream Sauce – Swap the red sauce for a homemade or store-bought creamy garlic parmesan sauce for a richer twist.
- Zucchini Spaghetti with Marinara & Lentils – Sub the beans with 1 cup of cooked lentils for an extra hearty, protein-packed variation.
- Pesto – Skip the tomato sauce, and toss the noodles with homemade Basil Spinach Pesto or store-bought pesto, then top them with sautéed mushrooms.
- Zucchini Spaghetti Bake – Layer the noodles, sauce, and mushrooms in a baking dish, top with mozzarella or vegan cheese, and bake at 375°F for 15–20 minutes.
How to Store
You can store the assembled spaghetti, but I prefer to keep all the components in separate meal prep containers (opens in a new tab) to prevent the zucchini from becoming soggy.
Refrigerator – Store leftover zucchini noodles, sauce, and mushrooms separately in airtight containers for up to 4 days.
Freezer – The tomato-bean sauce and cooked mushrooms can be frozen for up to 2 months. Zucchini noodles don’t freeze well. So, it’s best to spiralize them fresh!
Reheat – Gently reheat the sauce and mushrooms on the stovetop or in the microwave. For cooked zucchini noodles, reheat in a skillet for 2–3 minutes. If eating raw, bring the sauce to a warm temperature, and pour it on top. I love to serve leftover sauce over brown rice or quinoa, too!
More Vegetarian Recipes
- Baked Ziti Recipe
- Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie
- Vegetarian French Onion Soup
- Spinach & Mushroom Vegetarian Lasagna
- Vegetarian Pizza with Hot Honey
- Vegetarian Lentil & Sweet Potato Curry
More Ways to Use Zucchini
- Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
- Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread
- The BEST Easy Healthy Lasagna Recipe
- Crispy Air Fryer Zucchini
- Vegan Zucchini Bread
- Asian Tofu Rice Bowls
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Zucchini Spaghetti w/ Mushroom Red Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 medium zucchini
For the Mushrooms
- 3 Tablespoons avocado oil (opens in a new tab)
- 1 medium onion (finely diced)
- 24 ounces baby bella mushrooms (chopped into small pieces)
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 6 garlic cloves (minced)
For the Red Sauce
- 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes (opens in a new tab)
- 1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (or white beans of choice)
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning (opens in a new tab)
- 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Garnishes
- 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh basil
- grated vegetarian parmesan (to taste)
- pine nuts (opens in a new tab) (to taste)
Instructions
- In a large skillet with high sides over medium heat, add the oil and onion. Saute for 5 minutes.
- Add the mushrooms and saute on medium-high for 15-20 minutes until the moisture has evaporated, mixing often.
- While the mushrooms are cooking, spiralize the zucchini and set aside.
- To the cooked mushrooms, add the garlic and salt and cook for 2 more minutes. Turn off the heat.
- Place the beans and HALF of the crushed tomatoes into a blender and blend until smooth.
- Pour the blended tomato-bean mixture into a medium saucepan. Add the remaining crushed tomatoes, 1/2 cup water, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
- Mix and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat.
- Serve zucchini noodles with a large ladle of the tomato sauce, cooked mushrooms, fresh basil and parmesan.
Watch Me Make This
Notes
- Nutrition information does not include garnishes.
- Use the mushroom stems! They will add a great meaty texture and are perfect for cooking down into this recipe.
- Spiralize the zucchini while the mushrooms cook to save on time, since both steps take a decent amount of time.
- If you prefer cooked zucchini, easily add some avocado oil to a skillet and saute the zucchini on medium-high heat for about 5-8 minutes. The zucchini will shrink, so you may want to spiralize more.
- Zucchini noodles can get very long! Feel free to cut them in half to make them much easier to eat.
Nutrition
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This is a new pasta recipe for me to make. Perfect food to prepare this weekend!
This is a wholesome treat, my family enjoyed it, they didn’t even recognize that it is Zucchini spaghetti. I told them in the end, they loved it.
This zucchini spaghetti with mushroom red sauce is so delicious! Such a yummy meal with veggies.
I love this low-carb recipe. Perfect for meatless Monday too!
Loved how light but filling this was. The white beans in the sauce were a nice touch.