Summer Zucchini Tuscan Pasta Recipes

THIS EASY SUMMER ZUCCHINI PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Generously salt the water. (It gives your pasta a ton of flavor!)
• Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Once hot, add the garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté for 30 seconds to 1 minute or until fragrant. (You don't want the garlic to brown at all). Add the zucchini and squash and sauté for 4-5 minutes or until tender. Season with salt and pepper. (Cook pasta until al dente if you haven't done so at this point).
• Once pasta is cooked, drain thoroughly and add back into the pot. Add the zucchini mixture to the pasta and toss until coated. Add the parmesan and toss, as well as the chopped basil. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Serve with extra parmesan and fresh basil!

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 ZUCCHINI PASTA

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add zucchini and yellow squash; cook and stir until crisp-tender, 3-4 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Add tomatoes, basil, rosemary, salt and pepper flakes; heat through. Drain pasta; serve with zucchini mixture. If desired, top with additional basil.

SUMMER PENNE PASTA

Steps:

• In a large pot cook penne pasta in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain the pasta, leaving it slightly wet.
• While pasta is cooking, wash the bell peppers and cut them into 1/4 inch strips. In a large skillet over medium heat place 2 tablespoons of olive oil and saute the pepper until soft. Do not allow peppers to brown.
• To the skillet, add the sliced zucchini and yellow squash and saute for 2 minutes. Add chopped mushrooms and minced garlic and saute an additional 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the chopped tomatoes and remove from heat.
• Dish pasta portions onto warmed plated. Add sauce to top. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

ITALIAN ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• In a greased 2-1/2-qt. casserole, layer on-third of the zucchini, onion and tomatoes. Squeeze one lemon quarter over all. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Repeat layers. Dot with butter. Squeeze remaining lemon over all. Cover and bake at 350° for 1 hour or until vegetables are tender. Serve immediately.

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.

SUMMER SQUASH AND SAUSAGE PASTA DISH

Steps:

• Cook pasta 'al dente' according to package directions.
• Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add sausage and cook, stirring frequently, until browned and cooked through, 5 to 10 minutes. remove sausage from pan. Leave a little fat in pan (for taste).
• Add 1/4 cup olive oil and bring heat down to medium-low. Add squash and onion and cook, stirring frequently until soft, about 5 minutes.
• Add olives, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes; season with salt to taste.
• Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water. Add pasta to skillet and toss to combine. If pasta seems dry, add cooking water 1 tbsp at a time, tossing between each addition. Add cooked sausage and combine.
• Transfer pasta to a large serving platter, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with parmesan cheese or crushed croutons.

ITALIAN SAUSAGE AND ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the Italian sausage until the inside is no longer pink. Cut sausage into 1/4 inch slices, and continue cooking until browned.
• Stir in the zucchini, yellow squash, and onion; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Pour in the tomatoes, with liquid. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.