Meghan Duchess of Sussex Pasta Recipe: Why "Sexy Filthy Mush" is Actually Genius

Look, I know how it sounds. "Filthy, sexy mush" isn’t exactly what you’d expect a member of the British royal family to call her dinner. But way before she was a Duchess, back when she was still a lead on Suits and running her lifestyle blog The Tig, Meghan Markle dropped a culinary bombshell that still has the internet in a chokehold. It’s a zucchini pasta sauce that takes four hours to cook. Yeah, four.

You’re probably thinking, "I am not babysitting a squash for an entire afternoon." Honestly, I felt the same way. But there is a reason this specific Meghan Duchess of Sussex pasta recipe goes viral every few months. It's essentially a magic trick. You take three basic ingredients—zucchini, a bouillon cube, and a splash of water—and through the power of "low and slow" cooking, they transform into a sauce so creamy you’d swear it was loaded with butter and heavy cream.

Spoilers: there is zero dairy in it.

The Secret Behind the Zucchini Bolognese

Most people screw up zucchini by overcooking it for ten minutes until it’s slimy and sad. Meghan’s approach is the polar opposite. By simmering the zucchini for four to five hours, you aren’t just cooking it; you’re inducing a total structural breakdown of the vegetable's cell walls.

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It’s basically a science experiment you can eat.

The water evaporates, the sugars in the zucchini caramelize just a tiny bit, and the bouillon provides this deep, salty umami backbone. What’s left is a thick, jammy emulsion. Meghan famously told Delish that she learned this from a friend, and she’s been a devotee ever since. It’s her "go-to" when she wants something comforting but healthy.

What You'll Actually Need

Don't get fancy here. The original recipe is almost aggressively simple.

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• 5 or 6 medium zucchini: Chop them into small cubes. Don't worry about being precise; they’re going to be liquid by the end anyway.
• 1 bouillon cube: Meghan uses vegetable bouillon to keep it plant-based, but chicken bouillon works if you want a deeper "meatier" vibe.
• 1/2 cup of water: Just enough to get the party started.
• A little olive oil: For the initial sauté.
• Rigatoni or Penne: You want a pasta with holes or ridges to catch that "mush."

Some people (and several food editors who have tried to "fix" the recipe) add a chopped onion or a few cloves of garlic at the start. If you’re a garlic person, go for it. But the Duchess's purist version relies on the zucchini itself to do the heavy lifting.

How to Make the Meghan Duchess of Sussex Pasta Recipe (Step-by-Step)

1. The Sauté: Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or a Dutch oven. If you're using an onion, toss it in now until it's soft.
2. The Dump: Throw in all that chopped zucchini. It’ll look like way too much. It isn't. It shrinks.
3. The Catalyst: Add your half-cup of water and crumble that bouillon cube right over the top. Give it a good stir.
4. The Long Wait: This is the part where most people lose their nerve. Turn the heat down to the lowest possible setting. Cover the pot.
5. The Maintenance: You need to check on it every 30 to 45 minutes. If it looks dry, add a tiny splash of water. If it looks like green soup, keep the lid off for a bit to let the moisture escape.
6. The Finish: After 4 hours, the zucchini should be a pale, creamy green paste. Boil your pasta until it's al dente.

Pro Tip: Do not drain all your pasta water. Save a little cup of that starchy liquid. Toss the pasta into the zucchini mush, add a splash of the pasta water, and stir vigorously. It makes the sauce glossy and helps it stick to the noodles like a dream.

Why Does It Take So Long?

You might be wondering if you can just use an Instant Pot or a slow cooker. You can, but the texture changes. A slow cooker keeps all the moisture trapped inside, so you might end up with something a bit more watery than the "jam" Meghan describes.

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If you use an Instant Pot, you can get the zucchini soft in about 20 minutes on high pressure, but you’ll likely need to sauté it with the lid off afterward to thicken it up. Honestly? The stovetop method is the gold standard because you can see the caramelization happening in real-time.

The Verdict: Is It Actually Good?

The internet is divided. Some people find it a bit bland because, well, it’s mostly squash. But the Duchess usually finishes the dish with a few "pro" touches that elevate the whole thing:

• A massive squeeze of fresh lemon juice (this is non-negotiable for brightness).
• A handful of grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano.
• A pinch of red pepper flakes for a little kick.

When you add those finishing touches, it doesn't taste like "health food." It tastes like a rich, buttery Bolognese that happens to be made of vegetables. It’s perfect for those nights when you want to feel like a Duchess but your fridge is basically empty except for that bag of zucchini you forgot about.

Actionable Next Steps

If you're ready to try the Meghan Duchess of Sussex pasta recipe, start your prep around 2:00 PM if you want to eat by 6:30 PM. Use a Dutch oven if you have one—the heavy lid and thick bottom help prevent the zucchini from burning during the long simmer. Once the sauce is finished, try freezing half of it; it holds up surprisingly well and makes for an instant "fancy" dinner later in the week.