Perfect Summer Dishes That You Can Use Garden Veggies & Herbs

Pasta dishes that make the most of the season’s best produce. The moment when all these spring and summer vegetables collide is so brief that I feel like I have to celebrate it. So, I cook a pot of pasta, sauté or steam the veggies, and toss them together to make wonderful mouth watering dishes. I have included the links to each recipe for you to easily find more amazing ideas! Enjoy!

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One-Pot Spaghetti With Cherry Tomatoes and Kale

New York Times Cooking, Recipe from Anna Jones, Adapted by Tejal Rao

In this simple recipe, raw pasta and cherry tomatoes are simmered together in a single pan, cooking the pasta and forming a thick, starchy sauce at the same time. The efficient technique is internet famous, but this is the British cookbook author Anna Jones’s vegetarian take on the phenomenon, adapted from her book “A Modern Way to Cook.” The technique is easy to master and endlessly adaptable: When you add the kale, you could also toss in a couple of anchovies and a generous pinch of red-pepper flakes. When you season and top with cheese, you could add a pile of fresh chopped herbs, like mint, basil or oregano. —Tejal Rao

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

• 1 pound Spaghetti
• 1 pound cherry tomatoes, halved (about 2 pints)
• 2 lemons, zested
• 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tsps kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1 bunch kale or spinach, leaves only, washed and chopped
• black pepper
• parmesan cheese for garnish

Instructions

• Bring just over a quart of water to a boil. Meanwhile, place spaghetti, tomatoes, lemon zest, oil and 2 teaspoons kosher salt in a large, dry, shallow pan. (The pan should be large enough that the dry spaghetti can lie flat.)
• Carefully add the boiling water to the pan with the spaghetti. Cover pan, and bring up to a boil. Remove lid and simmer for about 6 minutes, using tongs to move the spaghetti around now and then so it doesn’t stick. Add kale or spinach and continue cooking until remaining liquid has reduced to a sauce and the pasta is cooked through. Taste, season with salt and pepper, and top with Parmesan.

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Summer Corn Tomato Pasta

https://danpelosi.com/recipe/summer-corn-tomato-pasta/

Pasta is a year-round sport in the Pelosi Family; we’re always in training. How else do you think I’ve won gold medals in Pasta from both the Summer and Winter Olympics?!

This Summer Corn Tomato Pasta is my favorite way to incorporate bountiful summer produce into pasta while keeping it fresh, crisp, and as tasty as the day it was picked. Barely-cooked corn and tomatoes, fresh torn leaves of basil, and the meltiest globs of mozzarella make this a must-make dish for me all summer long.

And the best part? You can add your own twists! I’ve been known to add squash if I have it or swap the mozzarella for feta. No matter what you use to create this dish, keep your veggies on the CUSP of crisp—I promise it makes all the difference.

Watch me make this recipe on Instagram!

Ingredients

• 1 lb pasta
• 3 heads fresh corn
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1 lb fresh mozzarella
• 6 cloves garlic
• 3 tbsps olive oil
• salt
• pepper
• red pepper flakes

Instructions

• In a large pot, bring extremely salty water to boil.

  In a smaller pot or large pan, add 2 tablespoons olive oil, 6 cloves of crushed garlic, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Set the burner to medium and get the garlic nice and brown.

  Add pasta to a pot of boiling water, and cook according to package instructions until al dente.
• Grab your corn cobs and a bowl. Using a sharp knife, cut along the long side of the cob, releasing all the kernels into the bowl. Next, cut your tomatoes in half lengthwise and add to the bowl. Add corn kernels and tomatoes to your pot with the browned garlic. Stir to combine over medium heat for just a few minutes, slightly warming through the corn and tomatoes while keeping them fresh and crisp.
• Drain your pasta and add it to the pot with corn and tomatoes. Stir until pasta is coated. Add 1 tbsp olive oil, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to taste.
• Remove the pot from stove. Add in the cubed mozzarella and torn basil leaves and stir. Put the cover on the pot and let the mozzarella melt a bit, then give everything one last stir! Serve immediately and enjoy!

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Linguine With Zucchini, Corn and Shrimp

This super fast and super easy summer pasta recipe barely cooks peak-season corn and zucchini, maintaining their freshness and crunch while highlighting their vibrant flavor. This  same quick-cooking method is applied to the shrimp, which keeps its bite by spending little time in the pan. (While corn and zucchini turn mushy if overcooked, shrimp turns tough and rubbery.) Finishing off this summer pasta is a shower of fresh basil and mint, which cling to each glossy strand of linguine. Feel free to add whatever vegetables and herbs catch your eye at the market. This pasta is best eaten al fresco. 

Ingredients

• 1 pound  linguine or other long pasta
• 1 pound pound medium shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails removed (about 20 shrimp)
• 4 tbsps unsalted butter
• 4 tbsps olive oil
• 6 garlic cloves minced
• 1 medium shallot or 1/2 medium onion, minced
• red pepper flakes
• 1 large zucchini, cut into ¼-inch rounds, then each round cut into quarters
• 2 cups corn kernels 2-3 large ears
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint for garnishing
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil for garnishing

Instructions

• In a large pasta pot, bring salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to the packaging directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
• Meanwhile, pat the shrimp dry with a paper towel and season with salt. In a separate large pot, melt 2 tablespoons of butter into 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium high. Add shrimp in a single layer and cook until just opaque, about 2 minutes per side. Use tongs or a slotted spoon to extract shrimp and set aside.
• Maintaining medium-high heat, add the garlic, shallot and a pinch each of salt, black pepper and red pepper, stirring constantly until the garlic is fragrant and shallot is translucent, about 3 minutes. Add zucchini and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 4 minutes. Add corn along with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and a pinch of salt; stir to coat. Cook until the corn is bright yellow and warm, about 2 minutes. Be careful not to overcook the vegetables, they should maintain their crispness.
• Add pasta to the pot with the vegetables, followed by the shrimp, ½ cup of the reserved pasta water and the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Stir to combine, reheating the shrimp while creating a glossy sauce, for about 90 seconds. Remove from heat and add chopped mint and basil and stir. Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve immediately.

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Lemon Chicken Pasta

This garlic Lemon Chicken Pasta is easy and packed with flavor! It's the perfect Summer meal to use fresh vegetables from your garden and ready in 20 minutes!

https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/lemon-parmesan-chicken-pasta/

Servings 5

Ingredients

• 16 ounces mini farfalle pasta  or your favorite bite-size pasta
• 2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1 tsp garlic powder divided
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning divided
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 3 tbsps olive oil divided
• 1 zucchini chopped
• 1 yellow squash chopped
• 3 cloves garlic , minced
• 4 tbsps butter
• 1/4 cup  fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley , chopped

Instructions

• Cook pasta according to package instructions.
• While the pasta cooks, season chicken, on both sides, with salt and pepper. Season with lemon zest, and ½ tsp EACH of garlic powder, Italian seasoning and onion powder.
• Add olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add seasoned chicken and cook for 3-5 minutes on each side, flipping once, until cooked through. Remove chicken to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm while it rests.
• Add another tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Once hot, add the chopped zucchini and yellow squash. Season with salt and pepper, ½ tsp garlic powder and ½ tsp Italian seasoning. Cook,on medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
• Add hot cooked pasta to the pan, along with the butter and lemon juice. Toss everything to combine, until butter has melted. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and toss to combine.
• Chop the chicken and return to the pan. Serve, garnished with parsley and additional parmesan cheese, if desired.