Jovial Brown Rice Penne meets a savory tomato-zucchini sauce with garlic, capers, and basil, then gets finished with creamy pockets of fresh mozzarella. A touch of lemon zest and red pepper flakes keeps the whole dish bright, balanced, and full of flavor.

Serves: 6
Prep time: 15 minutes 
Cook time: 25 minutes 
Total time: 40 minutes 

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil.
2. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large, wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini and ½ teaspoon of the salt, season with black pepper, and spread into an even layer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and well browned in spots, 7 to 9 minutes.
3. Use the back of a wooden spoon to roughly mash about one-third of the zucchini in the skillet, leaving the remaining pieces intact. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, garlic, capers, and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.
4. Add the tomatoes and their purée, crushing them into rough pieces with your hands as you add them. Stir in the remaining ¼ teaspoon of salt. Bring to a low simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened slightly and the flavors have melded, 8 to 10 minutes.
5. While the sauce simmers, add the penne to the boiling water and cook until 1 minute shy of al dente, according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
6. Add the tomato sauce to the pot with the penne, along with ⅓ cup reserved pasta water. Cook over medium heat, tossing frequently, until the pasta is al dente and the sauce coats the penne, 1 to 2 minutes. Add more pasta water, a tablespoon or two at a time, if needed.
7. Remove from the heat and stir in the basil and lemon zest. Gently fold in the mozzarella, leaving some pieces intact while allowing others to soften slightly in the warm pasta. Taste and season with additional salt and black pepper as needed. Serve immediately.