This 20-Minute Creamy Zucchini and Ham Pasta Is the Ultimate Summer Weeknight Dinner

You don't need a ton of time or fancy ingredients to make this dish happen. The creamy garlic sauce and thin zucchini ribbons do all the heavy lifting, giving you an awesome, comforting dinner in a single pan.

Here’s what you need: 6 oz (180g) of pasta, 1 large young zucchini, 6 oz (180g) of ham, 1 cup (250ml) of heavy cream (20%), 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour, ½ cup (50g) of shredded Parmesan cheese, 2 cloves of garlic, ½ a lemon, 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil, salt and black pepper to taste, and a small bunch of fresh parsley.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until it is al dente. Right before draining, scoop out about ½ cup of the starchy cooking water and set it aside.

While the pasta cooks, use a vegetable peeler to shave the zucchini lengthwise into long, thin ribbons. Toss the ribbons with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and let them sit. Cut your ham into small cubes or thin strips.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Toss in the minced garlic and fry for about 30 seconds until fragrant, then add the ham and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until lightly browned. Stir in the zucchini ribbons and cook for another 2 minutes until they just begin to soften.

Sprinkle the tablespoon of flour evenly over the ham and zucchini, stir quickly to coat, and immediately pour in the heavy cream while stirring constantly to prevent lumps.

Pour in a splash of your reserved pasta water to smooth out the texture, then stir in the grated lemon zest and shredded Parmesan cheese. Drop the drained pasta directly into the skillet, toss thoroughly to coat the noodles in the velvety sauce, and let everything warm through together for about 1 minute. Serve hot, garnished with finely chopped fresh parsley, extra Parmesan, and a crack of black pepper.