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–+ servings
a bowl of summer pasta with fresh garden vegetables

Easy Summer Pasta Recipe with Fresh Garden Vegetables

This easy summer pasta recipe has it all! Fast, fresh, and loved by the whole family, this dish will come together quickly, and be eaten faster than you can serve it.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Serving Size 4 -6 Servings

Ingredients

  • 1 medium sized fresh zucchini
  • 1 small onion
  • 2 medium sized fresh tomatoes I used Roma
  • 1/2 tsp dried basil or 1 teaspoon fresh basil
  • Fresh basil for garnish
  • 3-4 cloves of garlic
  • 1-2 TB Olive Oil
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese plus more for garnish
  • 1/4 cup cream
  • 1 box rotini pasta

Instructions

  • Fill your pasta pot with water, a quick pour of of olive oil, and a good pinch of salt & bring to a boil.
  • Cook the pasta according to box's instructions, but drain 2 minutes early.
  • Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat with 1-2 TB of olive oil
  • Dice the onion and zucchini.
  • Add the diced onion and zucchini to the hot cast iron pan. Allow them to sit in the pan for about one minute to get a nice sear on the zucchini before stirring.
  • Dice the tomatoes and mince your garlic.
  • Saute your onions and zucchini until the onions are translucent. (This should take about 2-4 minutes.)
  • Add about 1/4 teaspoon of salt, pepper to taste, and the dried basil to the vegetables in the pan.
  • Add the garlic. Cook for about 30 seconds.
  • Stir in your diced tomatoes.
  • Reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water before draining.
  • Stir your vegetables into the drained pasta in the pasta pot.
  • Return to the burner over medium-low heat.
  • Stir in grated parmesan and cream.
  • Add enough pasta water to reach your desired consistency.
  • Turn the heat to low and stir the pasta until pasta is done.
  • Garnish with fresh basil and more parmesan.
  • Serve & Enjoy!

Notes

  • Using fresh basil for the whole recipe will yield best results, but if you only have dried basil simply skip the extra basil garnish at the end.
  • Be sure to slightly undercook your pasta before draining since it will continue to cook with the cream and parmesan at the end. Plus, the undercooked pasta will absorb more of the sauce if finished cooking this way.
  • If you have picky eaters who are averse to the green of the zucchini, peel the zucchini before adding to the recipe. You can also cook the zucchini and onions for an extra minute so that there is less crunch from the vegetables in the finished dish.