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Kick off summer right with my beautiful, colorful, and wholesomely delicious Summer Pasta Recipe! Combining all the best flavors of the summer harvest with simple, fresh ingredients, this side dish might just become the star of the show. Ready in under 30 minutes!
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Pasta Recipes for Summer
Nothing says "summer" to me like a big basket of freshly grown summer vegetables! Whether they're home grown from my little vegetable garden or picked off the table at a farmer's market, all it takes is a whiff of that earthy-sweet aroma to know summer is here.
And what better way to showcase the delicious flavors and beautiful colors of summer than a fresh, filling, and totally gorgeous summer pasta dish? With a combination of bright colors and simple ingredients showcasing the flavors of summer, this pasta salad is simple, easy, and comes together in less than half an hour.
The best part? There's no way to go wrong with substitutions! No matter what vegetables you bring home or pluck from the garden, it'll look and taste amazing in this pasta.
Summer Pasta Dish Ingredients
- Orecchiette pasta (or your favorite small pasta!)
- Zucchini
- Cherry tomatoes
- Kalamata olives
- Chili flakes
- Parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
How to Make Summer Pasta
- Boil the pasta to package instructions. While the pasta is cooking, rinse the zucchini and tomatoes, and cut them into bite-sized pieces.
- Once the pasta is done cooking, drain it, then rinse the pasta under cool water to ensure it doesn't overcook. Set the pasta aside.
- Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once nice and hot, add the zucchini and tomatoes and cook for 5-7 minutes, until golden brown and tender. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Add in the drained pasta, and stir well.
- Add the olives and toss gently to combine.
- Sprinkle with chili flakes, fresh basil leaves, a drizzle of olive oil, and freshly grated parmesan cheese, and serve!
Summer Pasta Recipes Tips
- This is a fresh, light pasta dish that relies on the flavors of the vegetables, so make sure to get fresh, quality ingredients!
- Letting pasta rest is a great way to enhance the flavors! Rest this pasta in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving for a chilled pasta salad perfect for picnics or hot summer days. It'll taste better than ever.
- As a summer salad, this is the perfect recipe for substitutions based on what vegetables are fresh! Swap the zucchini out for yellow squash, or chop up a hearty heirloom tomato instead of cherry tomatoes. You can even add in sauteed onions or fresh garlic scapes!
- Swap in gluten-free pasta to make this dish perfect for gluten-sensitive loved ones. Just be sure to serve it warm, as gluten-free pasta tends to harden when chilled more than glutenous pasta does.
- If you're looking for a vegan meal, use vegan Parmesan or nutritional yeast flakes instead of classic dairy Parmesan cheese!
- For a little extra boost of flavor, add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice!
Summer Pastas FAQ
Summer pasta salad is an incredibly easy dish! Just slice up the vegetables into bite size pieces and saute them in a little oil, then add them to cooked pasta. Mix it up, add any toppings like cheese, basil, and olives, and serve!
Although you normally would never rinse pasta, you want to rinse it for pasta salad. By rinsing the pasta after it's drained, you stop the cooking process and make sure it doesn't get too cooked. This is essential for pasta salads where mushy pasta can ruin the entire dish!
Pasta makes a delicious side dish or main course! As a side, serve it with a simple protein such as steak, grilled chicken, or pork chops, and top it all off with something cool and crisp like a salad. As a main course, bread rolls and roasted veggies are the perfect sides!
Pasta Side Dish Ideas
- Perfect Orzo Pasta
- Avocado Pasta
- Creamy Asparagus Pasta
- Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese
- Homemade Rice-a-Roni
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Summer Pasta Recipe
Equipment
- Coriander
- Large pot
Ingredients
- 12 oz Orecchiette pasta or preferred small pasta
- 1 medium Zucchini
- 2 cups Cherry tomatoes
- ½ cups Olives
- ¼ teaspoons Chili flakes
- ¼ cup Olive oil
- ¼ cup Fresh basil
- ¼ cups Parmesan cheese
- pinch Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Boil the pasta to package instructions. While the pasta is cooking, rinse the zucchini and tomatoes, and cut them into bite-sized pieces.12 oz Orecchiette pasta, 1 medium Zucchini, 2 cups Cherry tomatoes
- Once the pasta is done cooking, drain it, then rinse the pasta under cool water to ensure it doesn't overcook. Set the pasta aside.
- Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once nice and hot, add the zucchini and tomatoes and cook for 5-7 minutes, until golden brown and tender. Season lightly with salt and pepper.¼ cup Olive oil, pinch Salt and pepper
- Add in the drained pasta, and stir well.
- Add the olives and toss gently to combine.½ cups Olives
- Sprinkle with chili flakes, fresh basil leaves, a drizzle of olive oil, and freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and serve!¼ teaspoons Chili flakes, ¼ cup Fresh basil, ¼ cups Parmesan cheese
Notes
- This is a fresh, light pasta dish that relies on the flavors of the vegetables, so make sure to get fresh, quality ingredients!
- Letting pasta rest is a great way to enhance the flavors! Rest this pasta in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving for a chilled pasta salad perfect for picnics or hot summer days. It'll taste better than ever.
- As a summer salad, this is the perfect recipe for substitutions based on what vegetables are fresh! Swap the zucchini out for yellow squash, or chop up a hearty heirloom tomato instead of cherry tomatoes. You can even add in sauteed onions or fresh garlic scapes!
- Swap in gluten-free pasta to make this dish perfect for gluten-sensitive loved ones. Just be sure to serve it warm, as gluten-free pasta tends to harden when chilled more than glutenous pasta does.
- If you're looking for a vegan meal, use vegan Parmesan or nutritional yeast flakes instead of classic dairy Parmesan cheese!
- For a little extra boost of flavor, add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice!
Nutrition
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