Best Summer Pasta Recipes

SUMMER GARDEN PASTA

Steps:

• Combine the cherry tomatoes, 1/2 cup olive oil, garlic, basil leaves, red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon salt, and the pepper in a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and set aside at room temperature for about 4 hours.
• Just before you're ready to serve, bring a large pot of water with a splash of olive oil and 2 tablespoons salt to a boil and add the pasta. Cook al dente according to the directions on the package (be careful - it only takes 2 to 3 minutes!). Drain the pasta well and add to the bowl with the cherry tomatoes. Add the cheese and some extra fresh basil leaves and toss well. Serve in big bowls with extra cheese on each serving.

SUMMER PASTA WITH ZUCCHINI, RICOTTA AND BASIL

Steps:

• Put a pot of water on to boil. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the onions in 3 tablespoons olive oil until softened, 5 to 8 minutes. Reduce heat as necessary to keep onions from browning. Add zucchini, season generously with salt and pepper, and continue cooking, stirring occasionally until rather soft, about 10 minutes. Turn off heat.
• Meanwhile, use a mortar and pestle to pound garlic, basil and a little salt into a rough paste (or use a mini food processor). Stir in 3 tablespoons olive oil.
• Salt the pasta water well and put in the pasta, stirring. Boil per package instructions but make sure to keep pasta quite al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup of cooking water.
• Add cooked pasta to zucchini in skillet and turn heat to medium-high. Add 1/2 cup cooking water, then the ricotta, crushed red pepper and lemon zest, stirring to distribute. Check seasoning and adjust. Cook for 1 minute more. Mixture should look creamy. Add a little more pasta water if necessary. Add the basil paste and half the grated cheese and quickly stir to incorporate. Spoon pasta into warm soup plates and sprinkle with additional cheese. Serve immediately.

SUMMER FRESH PASTA WITH TOMATOES AND PROSCIUTTO

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a rolling boil. Cook angel hair pasta at a boil until tender but still slightly firm, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water for later use. Transfer the drained pasta to a large serving bowl.
• Place tomatoes in a bowl; season with sea salt and black pepper.
• Pour 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil over the tomato mixture and gently toss; set aside.
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat.
• Cook and stir sliced shallot in the hot oil until just becoming translucent, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Stir garlic into the shallot; continue cooking and stirring 1 minute more. Remove the skillet from heat.
• Assemble the dish by adding the tomato mixture, the shallot and garlic mixture, and the prosciutto to the pasta; toss to combine. Use the reserved water from cooking the pasta to make it easier to mix.
• Top the pasta dish with basil and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese to serve.

PASTA SALAD WITH SUMMER TOMATOES, BASIL AND OLIVE OIL

Steps:

• In a large bowl, toss together the tomatoes, capers, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, black pepper, red-pepper flakes, the whole basil sprig and anchovies if using. Let sit for 5 minutes, then stir in 1/2 cup oil. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed. The tomatoes should be aggressively seasoned. Let tomatoes marinate for at least 1 hour and preferably 2 to 3.
• Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until it is just al dente, usually a minute less than the package instructions. Drain well. Add to bowl with tomatoes while still warm and toss well. Let pasta cool, soaking up the dressing. Let pasta sit at room temperature for at least another hour and up to 6 hours before serving. Or chill for up to 24 hours; bring to room temperature before serving.
• Just before serving, gently fold in torn basil leaves. Top with more olive oil and cracked black pepper before serving.

SUMMER FRUIT 'N' PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Rinse with cold water and drain. In a bowl, combine the yogurt, mayonnaise, dill, salt and hot pepper sauce. , In a large serving bowl, combine the pasta, apples, grapes, celery and mandarin oranges. Gently stir in 1 cup yogurt mixture. , Cover and refrigerate salad and remaining yogurt mixture for 2-3 hours. Just before serving, stir in bananas, walnuts and remaining yogurt mixture.

GRILLED CORN SUMMER PASTA SALAD RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Microwave the corn on a microwave-safe plate on high for 7 minutes. Remove from the microwave, and grip the corn with a dish towel. Then cut off the bottom end with a serrated knife. Slide the corn out of the husk. It should come out fairly easily with none of the silky string mess.
• Brush the corn with olive oil, then place on a cast iron grill pan or outdoor grill over medium-high heat. Grill for 5-6 minutes on each side, until the kernels are slightly charred.
• Insert the narrow end of an ear of corn into the center hole of a bundt pan. Holding the corn steady with one hand, saw off the kernels with a serrated knife. The kernels will fall into the pan for easy collection.
• Make the cilantro-lime vinaigrette: Combine the cilantro, olive oil, lime juice, garlic, chili powder, honey, salt, and pepper in a food processor and blend until smooth.
• In a large bowl, add the pasta, corn, tomatoes, red onion, avocado, and vinaigrette, and mix until well-combined.
• Enjoy!

RUSTIC SUMMER VEGETABLE PASTA

Steps:

• In a 6-qt. stockpot, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add zucchini and yellow squash; cook and stir until tender. Remove from pan., In same pot, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, eggplant and mushrooms; cook and stir until tender. Add garlic and pepper flakes; cook 1 minute longer. Add tomatoes, salt and pepper. Stir in oregano, parsley and half of the basil; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes, stirring occasionally., Meanwhile, cook spaghetti according to package directions. Drain; add spaghetti and squash to vegetable mixture. Drizzle with remaining oil; toss to combine. Top with cheese and remaining basil.

PASTA WITH ROASTED SUMMER VEGETABLES AND BASIL

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Divide squash, tomatoes, onions, and garlic between two large rimmed baking sheets. Drizzle with oil, and season with salt and pepper; toss to coat and then spread evenly. Roast (without tossing) until tender and starting to brown, 30 to 40 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil; add a generous amount of salt. Cook pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Drain, and return to pot.
• Add roasted vegetables, butter, parmesan, and basil to pot; season with salt and pepper, and toss gently with pasta to combine. Reheat over medium-low if necessary before serving.

SUMMER CASHEW CHICKEN GRAPE PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Boil 1 lb. of pasta - al dente - according to package directions (I use rigatoni). Drain after cooking and let cool.
• While the pasta is boiling, wash and halve the grapes.
• Dice the cooked chicken into bite sized pieces.
• In a large bowl or serving platter, combine the cooled, drained pasta with the grapes and diced chicken. Stir in the mayonnaise. I start with one cup of mayo and add more as needed. Really, just add as much as you personally like - it may be more or less than 2 cups.
• Stir in the Lawry's seasoning salt, onion powder and garlic powder. Again, add to your liking. You may want more or less than 1/2 teaspoon of any of these - - it's your choice, go with what you like. Frequent sampling at this point will help you decide what your preference will be so grab a fork and start sampling!
• If the salad is too thick and rich for your liking, stir in a couple tablespoons milk to thin it out. This part is optional.
• This salad is always much better the next day after the flavors have had a chance to meld. This is when I usually add milk to loosen it up a bit.
• Before serving, plate or dish up the salad and sprinkle cashew pieces on top of individual servings. DO NOT put the cashew pieces on the entire salad and refrigerate - - this will cause the cashew pieces to become soft and rubbery and nobody wants that! I just set the can of cashews on the table and let guests help themselves.
• Sit back and enjoy your sweat free cold summer salad!

SUMMER SQUASH AND BASIL PASTA

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium. Cook garlic, stirring occasionally, until very lightly browned around the edges, about 4 minutes. Add squash; season with salt. Cook, tossing occasionally, until squash begins to break down and gets jammy (they may start to stick to the skillet a bit, which means you are there!), 12-15 minutes. Toss in 1 tsp. Aleppo-style pepper.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until very al dente.
• Transfer pasta to skillet using a slotted spoon or spider and add 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid. Cook pasta, adding 2 oz. Parmesan in stages along with more pasta cooking liquid as needed, until sauce coats pasta and pasta is al dente. Toss in lemon juice and most of the basil.
• Divide pasta among bowls and top with more Parmesan and Aleppo-style pepper and remaining basil.

GRILLED SUMMER VEGETABLE PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• Meanwhile, drain the tomatoes (reserving the juice for another use if desired). Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until aromatic, 1 to 2 minutes. Crush the tomatoes with your hand, adding them to the saucepan as you go. Season with salt and pepper. Add the basil and parsley sprigs (reserve the chopped herbs for later) and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and cook at a very low simmer for about 15 minutes or until ready to serve.
• While the sauce cooks, heat a large double-burner grill pan over medium-high heat. Toss the pepper, squash, zucchini and onion with the remaining tablespoon olive oil, making sure to coat all sides. Sprinkle with salt and grill, turning once, until well-marked and crisp-tender, 4 to 6 minutes per side, depending on the vegetable. Transfer the onion to a large mixing bowl. Transfer the pepper, squash and zucchini to a cutting board and cut crosswise into strips. Add to the bowl with the onion and cover with foil.
• Cook the penne in the boiling water according to package directions. Drain and add to the bowl with the vegetables. Remove the herb sprigs from the sauce and stir in half of the chopped herbs. Add to the bowl and toss to coat.
• Serve the pasta in bowls topped with the remaining chopped herbs and Parmesan.

SUMMER SQUASH PASTA PRIMAVERA

Steps:

• In a large skillet, saute onion and green pepper in oil until crisp-tender. Add the zucchini, yellow squash and mushrooms; saute for 1 minute. Add tomatoes and basil. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Toss with pasta; sprinkle with cheese if desired.

ZUCCHINI SUMMER PASTA

Steps:

• In large skillet, over medium heat, saute garlic and onion in butter and oil about 2 minutes. Reduce heat, and layer zucchini and yellow squash slices on top of onion and garlic. Add salt and pepper, cover and steam 10 minutes, or until squash is tender.
• While vegetables are steaming, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain. Add the crushed tomatoes to the zucchini mixture, stir and heat slightly, but do not cook the tomatoes. Serve the zucchini sauce over the pasta.

MEDITERRANEAN SUMMER PASTA WITH SALSA CRUDA

Steps:

• In a large pasta serving bowl, mix together the olives, tomatoes, mint, capers, garlic, red pepper flakes, orange zest and olive oil. Season with salt and freshly cracked pepper. Stir and lightly press the ingredients with the back of the spoon to incorporate flavors. Let sit for at least 30 minutes, or up to a day.
• Just before serving, cook the angel hair pasta in salted boiling water according to package instructions. Remove the garlic clove from the pasta sauce. Drain the pasta and while still steaming hot, place the pasta on top of the cold sauce. Let sit for a minute before tossing the pasta. Top with grated Parmesan and serve.

ZESTY FETA AND SHRIMP SUMMER PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Place the chicken in a baking dish, and roast 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until juices run clear. Remove from heat, cool, and cut into bite-size pieces.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add farfalle pasta, cook 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente, and drain. Cool to room temperature.
• In a large bowl, mix the chicken, pasta, shrimp, olives, tomatoes, carrots, and cucumber. Toss with balsamic vinegar and feta cheese, and season with salt-free seasoning blend.

SUMMER PASTA WITH TOMATOES AND CHICK PEAS

Steps:

• Combine the tomatoes, garlic, salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar, basil, and olive oil in a wide bowl. Let sit for 15 minutes. Stir in the chick peas. Taste and adjust seasonings.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add a generous amount of salt and the pasta. Cook al dente, until the pasta is firm to the bite. Drain, toss with the tomatoes and chick peas, sprinkle on the cheese, and serve.

ASIAN SUMMER PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• When you cook the spaghetti, break it into thirds or fourths upon dropping it in the boiling water.
• Mix cooked and cooled spaghetti and vegetables in a large bowl.
• Set aside.
• In a small bowl mix the vegetable oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, pepper (or flakes), ginger root and garlic.
• Whisk to combine.
• Add dressing to pasta and vegetables.
• Stir well to combine.
• Chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour to combine flavors.
• Garnish with chopped peanuts or cashews and cilantro.

SUMMER PEA PASTA

Steps:

• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a frying pan and cook the garlic and chilli for a couple of mins until very lightly golden. Stir in the zest.
• Cook the pasta, adding the peas for the final 2 mins. Drain, then tip everything back into the saucepan. Tip in the garlic, chilli and lemon, scraping in any bits stuck to the pan. Tear in the basil, season and add the remaining olive oil. Stir well.

SUMMER PASTA WITH PEAS & MINT

Steps:

• Boil the spaghetti according to pack instructions and, when you have just 2 mins cooking time left, throw in the peas.
• Meanwhile, whisk the olive oil, lemon juice and mustard together, then season with salt, if you like, and pepper. Drain the pasta, reserving a couple of tbsps of the cooking water and return to the pan. Stir the reserved cooking water, olive oil mixture and mint through the pasta, then serve.

SUMMER PASTA WITH TOMATOES, FRESH BASIL, AND BACON

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook bow-tie pasta at a boil, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 12 minutes. Drain.
• Place bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain bacon slices on paper towels; crumble into a bowl.
• Combine cooked pasta with crumbled bacon, grape tomatoes, feta cheese, pine nuts, and basil in a large serving dish.
• Combine Parmesan cheese, olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice in a food processor. Blend until smooth. Pour into pasta salad and mix to combine.