Healthy Pasta Salad With Tomato And Zucchini Recipes

PASTA WITH TOMATOES AND ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Fill a large pot with salty water and place over high heat to bring it to a boil. Add the pasta to the pot while you're cooking the zucchini.
• Cook until al dente according to the package directions. Reserve about ½ cup of cooking water when you drain the pasta.
• Cut the tomatoes in half, and dice onion and zucchini. If zucchini is large, cut it lengthwise, than cut each half into three long batons. Then slice off the seeds from each baton and cut it into ½-inch cubes.
• Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large non-stick sauté pan. Add the red onions and cook, stirring frequently, until very soft and pale purple in color, 5-6 minutes. Do not brown.
• Add the zucchini, chili flakes, about ¼ tsp of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Give a good stir and cook over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes or until the zucchini are cooked but still crisp, not mushy.
• Add the tomatoes, stir and cook until the skins burst and the tomatoes begin to release their juices, about 4 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning according to your taste.
• Add pasta and parsley to the pan and toss gently to combine. Add a touch of pasta cooking water if the pasta dries out (you don't need all of it, but use just as much as you need to keep everything moist and juicy).
• Taste again and make sure you're happy with the seasoning.
• Remove from the stove and serve immediately with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, black pepper and garnished with fresh parsley and parmesan cheese, if you wish.

HEALTHY PASTA SALAD WITH TOMATO AND ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Slice the zucchini into half inch slices and then to half moons. I love to julienne the carrot just for added interest and texture, but you may cut it to any shape. Sometimes I also add sliced onion.
• Cook pasta according to package instructions.
• Add zucchini, tomatoes, carrot, white parts of the spring onion to a roasting pan, along with garlic, olive oil and a little salt and pepper to taste. Bake in a pre-heated oven of 400F (200C) for 20 minutes. If you want you can add the carrots later (15-16 minutes into the bake time) to keep its bite, but it's not necessary.
• Chop your favorite greens, add to a big bowl along with skinned edamame peas, fresh basil, crumbled feta cheese and dry roasted pine nuts. To dry roast pine nuts you add pine nuts to a dry non-stick pan on medium high heat and cook until fragrant. Swirl the pan.
• To make the pasta salad dressing you add all the ingredients to a glass or jar with a lid. Shake until combined.
• Serve cold: Wait until both pasta and roasted vegetables are cold before combining.
• Serve hot: Wait with cooking pasta so that it's freshly cooked when the roasted vegetables are done. Drain the pasta and serve rather immediately. My preferred way.
• Drizzle over the desired amount of basil lemon vinaigrette. A little goes a long way! Start with 2 teaspoon and see what you like.

PASTA SALAD WITH TOMATOES, ZUCCHINI, AND FETA

Steps:

• Cook pasta until done. Drain and rinse in cold water until completely cool. Add olive oil and lemon juice, then add salt and pepper to taste (do not undersalt). Toss to combine. Add zucchini, tomatoes, parsley, and feta, and toss to combine. Add more of what you think it needs; I like to go heavy on the feta! Squeeze in a little more lemon juice/drizzle more olive oil if it needs more moisture.Cover in plastic wrap for at least a couple of hours. Pasta is best when chilled for a few hours before serving. *Note: Add grilled shrimp, grilled chicken, or grilled flank steak if you need a little protein.

PASTA WITH CORN, ZUCCHINI AND TOMATOES

Steps:

• Set a large pot of water to boil and salt it. Put 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add corn. Cook, stirring occasionally, until corn begins to brown. Add zucchini and some salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until zucchini begins to brown.
• Add onion or shallots and garlic if you are using it. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion softens, about 5 minutes. Add tarragon and cook for 30 seconds, then tomatoes. Put pasta in boiling water and cook until tender but not mushy, 10 to 15 minutes.
• While pasta cooks continue to cook sauce, reducing heat when tomatoes begin to break down. If sauce dries out (with plum tomatoes, this is likely), add some pasta cooking water, about 1/2 cup at a time. When pasta is done, drain it, toss with sauce and remaining oil or butter, and serve immediately.