This zucchini pasta sauce satisfies your craving for Italian food while providing the nutrients you need. It’s also one of my favorite meals to cook in the slow cooker.

Fresh Zucchini and Garden Vegetable Sauce for Spaghetti (Meat Optional)

What do you get when you mix zucchini, tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic, and lots of Italian seasoning?

A delicious and healthy meal that will have everyone begging for more, that’s what.

You might think that preparing such a meal is complicated with a whole bunch of steps. However, it’s quite the contrary.

This super easy meal is something anyone can make. That is, anyone who is tall enough to see the countertop and mature enough to handle a knife.

Some folks might think that a simple meal has to be bland or maybe even tasteless. However, that can’t be further from the truth.

All you have to do is chop up a bunch of vegetables, open a few jars or cans, and toss it all into the pot.

Turn on the slow cooker, walk away, and come back later to one of the best meals ever.

You can actually use whatever vegetables you have on hand. Since I picked up some zucchini that was on sale at Aldi, that’s the star of this recipe.

Add diced onions, peppers, and garlic to get even more vegetable goodness.

Sprinkle in some seasonings for flavor, spoon it over pasta, and you have a meal fit for royalty.

I also had some chicken tenders in the freezer that needed to be cooked. So I cut them into bite-size pieces and tossed them in with the rest of the ingredients.

Zucchini Pasta Sauce Ingredients

You can use as many or as few of my recommended ingredients as you want.

Since this is your meal, take the recipe and tweak it to suit your family’s tastes.

I used 2 large zucchinis that are the star of this show.

I also chose to use a pound of chicken tenders that I cut into bite-size pieces. That took all of about five minutes.

You don’t have to add any type of meat. Or you can use ground beef, pork, or even seafood.

This recipe also onions, bell peppers, garlic, mushrooms diced tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, chicken broth, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and onion powder.

For exact measurements of each ingredient and full directions, go to the recipe card at the bottom of the page. You can even print out the card by using the “print” button.

How to Make Zucchini Pasta Sauce

Since I like to make cleanup easy, I always spray my slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray before adding the ingredients.

First, I placed the cut chicken and zucchini in the bottom of the pot. Try to evenly distribute it as much as possible.

I used to brown the chicken first, but I didn’t see that it made any difference. For that reason, I now put it in there raw.

Next, I added diced onions, diced bell pepper, mushrooms, and garlic. I had minced garlic in a jar, so that’s what I used. If you have fresh garlic, that’s even better.

Then I added a can of diced tomatoes, some tomato paste, and tomato sauce. After that, I sprinkled Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and onion powder into the mixture.

Finally, I poured some chicken broth into the pot. You can add as much or as little as you want, depending on how thick you like the sauce.

If you want more ingredients or seasonings, feel free to add them. Some things you might consider are sliced olives, capers, chopped eggplant, ground cinnamon, and basil.

Turn the slow cooker on low and leave it for 6-8 hours. Or you can cook it on high for 3-4 hours.

As it cooks, the aroma of sauce might have you checking your watch to see if it’s suppertime yet. Trust me when I say I totally get it.

When it’s done, you’ll be more than ready to dig in.

And as you start eating, all of your senses will come together in perfect harmony. Yes, it’s that good.

More Recipes

Most of the time, when I cook Italian pasta, I serve some sort of bread. You can have Italian or French bread if you like the traditional fare.

Or you can serve it with cornbread to add an American southern touch.

Another thing you might want to have with your meal is a side salad. We like this Greek olive and feta salad because it just seems to go with this type of meal.

Another salad we enjoy is this chickpea salad. It has a delightful blend of flavors and textures that make it perfect for any meal.

Since you’re enjoying such a flavorful meal, keep the deliciousness going with this creamy lemon meringue pie. It’s always been one of our favorites around here.

See this recipe shared at Meal Plan Monday, Full Plate Thursday, and Weekend Potluck.

Please feel free to share!