3 Light Pasta Recipes For A Summer Get-Together : When we think of pasta, we often associate it with heavy, hearty dishes such as bolognese. However, there are plenty of summery pasta dishes that are light, airy and delicious. We’ve rounded up a few recipes that will suit perfectly as revitalizing yet satisfying meals to enjoy through the warmer months.
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Summer squash rigatoni
Summer squash takes the starring role in this delightfully fresh pasta dish. Believe it or not, there are over 100 varieties of the versatile vegetable, from the common butternut squash to the weird and wonderful tromboncino. For this recipe, we recommend choosing a combination of summer squash varieties such as crookneck, sunburst and tatume, fried in best cooking oil and then sauté in sauces.
For the pasta itself, this dish goes wonderfully well with tubular shapes, such as rigatoni. As the experts at Pasta Evangelists explain: “Rigatoni itself comes from the Italian word rigato, pronounced ree-ga-to, meaning ridged. The distinctive grooves which run along the length of this pasta shape mean that it beautifully captures thicker meat or vegetable-based sauces.”
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 12oz rigatoni pasta
- 6 garlic cloves, sliced
- 2 pounds assorted summer squash, diced
- ¾ cup parmesan cheese
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Extra-virgin olive oil
Method
- Heat a generous splash of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the garlic for around three minutes or until golden brown.
- Add the squash and season with salt. Toss well and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes or until tender. Stir in red pepper flakes and reduce heat to its lowest setting.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and transfer to the skillet along with the basil, lemon juice, parmesan and a good drizzle of olive oil.
- Stir well over a low heat until the cheese begins to melt and the ingredients have generously coated the pasta.
- Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.
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Lemon garlic pasta
Buttery, lemony and oh-so garlicky, this dish will hit all the right spots after taking just ten minutes to create. Simply take your favorite variety of pasta (we’ve gone with linguine) and toss together with a handful of summery kitchen staples.
The most significant ingredient here is the zesty lemon juice, so this dish can easily be made vegan by omitting dairy and opting instead for vegan cheese, vegan butter and egg-free pasta. Or, for added protein, this recipe pairs well with chicken, shrimp, chickpeas, or even tofu.
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 12oz linguine pasta
- ¾ cup parmesan cheese
- ½ tsp red chili flakes
- 4 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 unwaxed lemon zest and juice
- 1 large knob of salted butter
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Method
- Cook the pasta in a large pan of salted boiling water until al dente. Then take off the heat and drain, reserving half a cup of pasta water.
- Warm a large drizzle of olive oil in a non-stick frying pan on medium heat. Stir in garlic, butter, lemon juice and zest and cook until fragrant.
- Add the linguine, parmesan, red chili flakes and the pasta water and toss well.
- Cook for an additional minute on low heat then remove from the heat.
- Serve warm, with salt and pepper to taste.
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Caprese pasta salad
Caprese salad, which has its roots on the island of Capri, has become a culinary icon of Southern Italy, where the Amalfi Coast’s countless quaint seaside villages cultivate some of the world’s finest tomatoes.
This dish is a pleasing compromise between a ‘pasta dish’ and cold ‘salad.’ Combining whole wheat pasta with handfuls of basil, garlic and sweet cherry tomatoes, this easy main makes for a perfectly light summertime supper and is splendid served warm or chilled.
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 12oz whole wheat fusilli pasta
- 8oz mozzarella pearls
- 8oz cherry tomatoes
- 6 garlic cloves, diced
- 2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Extra-virgin olive oil
Method
- Cook the pasta in a large pan of salted boiling water until al dente. Then take off the heat, drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat a dash of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the tomatoes and garlic, sprinkle with salt and cover with a lid or silver foil.
- Cook for around eight minutes on a low heat, stirring occasionally.
- Remove from the heat, stir in the pasta and leave the mixture to cool.
- Once cooled to a lukewarm temperature, toss in the basil, vinegar and mozzarella pearls and serve.
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3 Light Pasta Recipes For A Summer Get-Together
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