Summer Pasta with Zucchini, Squash and Corn
This summer pasta recipe with zucchini, squash and corn is the perfect way to celebrate the season. Loaded with seasonal vegetables, fresh herbs and a delicious white wine lemon butter sauce, you’re going fall in love with this dish.
Perfect for nights when you want a homemade meal in under 30 minutes. This summer pasta recipe comes together very quickly and is absolutely delicious. The light buttery sauce tastes so good with the sautéed vegetables and fresh herbs. Trust me, it’s hard not to finish the entire pan.
About this recipe
For this recipe, I used Delallo’s orecchiette pasta. It’s such a fun cut and is very easy to eat. Plus, it is almost the same size as the veggies so the ratio of pasta to veggies is perfect. As far as corn goes, I recommend grilling two ears of corn, so you get a little extra flavor. However, you can use canned corn kernels too. Just be sure to drain off any excess liquid and pat the kernels dry with a paper towel. You do not want to make the pasta watery.
When serving this dish, you can enjoy it as is or you can enjoy it as a side dish to your favorite protein. Grilled chicken, pan seared salmon, halibut or crispy tofu would all work well with this dish. Personally, I like to enjoy a big bowl of this summer pasta on its own. It’s a great meat free meal if you’re trying to incorporate a few vegetarian meals into your diet. However, either way, you can’t go wrong.
Storage
Store any leftover pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. To reheat, simply add the pasta to a microwave safe dish and heat for 30-60 seconds. You can also reheat this pasta in a skillet. Just be sure to add some water or broth to reconstitute the sauce. Looking for more summer recipes? Try my easy caprese peach pasta salad or my spicy kani cucumber salad. Both are great recipes for the warm summer months!
Summer Pasta with Zucchini, Squash and Corn
Ingredients
- 8 ounces orecchiette pasta
- ¼ cup pasta water
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup shallots, diced small
- ¼ cup white wine , dry wine, sauvignon blanc
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice, fresh squeezed
- 1 medium zucchini, diced into cubes
- 1 medium yellow squash, diced into cubes
- 2 ears corn kernels , about 1.5 cups
- ⅓ cup grated parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper, to taste
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes , optional
- 5-10 leaves fresh basil
Equipment
- pasta pot
- 11-inch non-stick skillet
Instructions
Prepare the pasta:
- Boil a pot of water and cook the pasta according to the package. Reserve some pasta water for the sauce.
- Drain the rest of the water using a colander. Drizzle with olive oil and set the pasta aside.
Prepare the sauce and veggies:
- In an 11-inch non-stick skillet, add 2 tablespoons of butter and olive oil.
- Next, add the minced garlic and shallots.
- Once the shallots are translucent and the garlic is fragrant, add the zucchini, squash and corn. Season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Stir well.
- Once the veggies begin to soften and brown, deglaze the pan with the white wine and lemon juice. Be sure to scrap up any crispy bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Let the alcohol cook down from the wine, about 3-4 minutes and then add the cooked pasta. Toss everything together.
- Add the parmesan cheese and the reserved pasta water. Gently toss until the cheese and butter are melted and the sauce has tightened up.
- Top with fresh basil. Extra shaved parmesan cheese and enjoy!
10 Comments on “Summer Pasta with Zucchini, Squash and Corn”
This recipe is perfect for summer! Made this last night for dinner and it is so good! I usually make creamy pastas which are less healthy but with this recipe, I didn’t miss the cream at all and the sauce came together nicely at the end! Definitely a must try!
So yummy and refreshing. Very easy to make. Total crowd pleaser; even my kids!
I LOVE this recipe, I’ve made it probably 4-6 times this summer! Best part is by omitting the salt and parm, and some minor change of cuts in the veggies, it makes this a super baby-friendly meal.
So easy and delicious! I made with grilled chicken for a the perfect dinner combo!
Delicious and refreshing! Great flavor!
Making this tonight; does the recipe call for 8oz of uncooked or cooked pasta?
uncooked.
SO good and SO easy! I added a little extra lemon because I love the taste of it and it was delicious! Easy weeknight or weekend meal if you feel like low maintenance cooking but still want something delicious.
Found this to be a delicious, easy and wonderful summer dish!
So good!!! I used chicken broth instead of the wine and added a dollop of ricotta. Delicious!!!!