The Legendary Spaghetti Stanley Tucci Eats ‘Practically Every Day’

If you watched Stanley Tucci’s adventure on CNN’s “Searching for Italy,” there’s probably one moment that sticks in your memory. Yes, that pasta.

Maybe it was his infectious enthusiasm over the dish, the golden light of the Amalfi Coast, or even the way the sea breeze seemed to waft through the screen—but the instant he twirled a forkful of that silky, simple pasta, viewers everywhere wanted exactly what he was having.

The series went on to deliver a full-on feast for the senses—food, art, architecture—but through it all, the dish that lingered in everyone’s mind was the one Tucci said “honestly changed [his] life.”

The good news? You don’t need to fly to the Italian seaside to taste it. This iconic pasta is easy enough to make in your own kitchen.

Stanley Tucci’s Favorite Zucchini Spaghetti

The dish is called Spaghetti alla Nerano, named after the little village of Nerano on the Amalfi Coast. It’s a regional specialty that turns a humble summer vegetable, zucchini, into something truly transcendent.

For Tucci, the best version comes from Lo Scoglio, a family-run restaurant that sits right on the water. He had first tasted it years before and loved it so much that he and his wife, Felicity, made it “practically every day” following. When he returned to Amalfi for the TV series, he went straight back to Lo Scoglio for a master class from Chef Tommaso.

Here’s what he learned: the zucchini isn’t just sautéed or shallow-fried. It’s deep-fried in a vat of sunflower oil. (Even Tucci admitted he’d been mistakenly using far less oil at home.) Once the slices are golden and crisp, the zucchini is chilled overnight to soften. The next day, it’s gently reheated with a touch of butter, transforming it into a velvety, nutty sauce that clings to each strand of spaghetti. Finally, a snowfall of cheese (likely Provolone del Monaco, which is a semi-aged local cheese) finishes the dish.

It’s deceptively simple, but Tucci calls it “one of the best things I’ve ever had in my life.”

How To Make Stanley Tucci’s Zucchini Spaghetti at Home

Our recipe correspondent, Chef John, set out to recreate this legendary pasta, and the key, he insists, is the frying. He tested every shortcut—broiling, baking, pan-frying—but nothing delivers the same authentic flavor as deep-frying in sunflower oil.

Once you commit to that step, the rest is easy. Toss the zucchini sauce with hot spaghetti, fold in a little cheese, and you’ve got a bowl of pure Amalfi magic.

So if you want to taste Tucci’s Italian enlightenment for yourself, go all in on the real method. Spaghetti alla Nerano may look simple, but done right, it might just change your life, too.