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Creamy summer squash pasta with cheese crumbles on top is what makes your heart and belly happier on any pasta night.
Pasta with Summer Squash
With the abundance of summer squash and my family’s love for pasta dinners, it was a no-brainer to combine them into a creamy dish and make mouthwatering summer squash pasta!
I usually air fry summer squash as a healthy side for protein, but cooking it in the skillet brings out its delicious flavor and it’s an easy way to add extra veggies to pasta night.
Ingredients
To turn your favorite pasta into this delicious dish, you’ll need olive oil, garlic cloves (or garlic powder), butter, summer squash, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and a touch of lemon. For the cheesy touch, I use Gorgonzola crumbles, but crumbled goat cheese makes a great swap.
How to Make Summer Squash Pasta
Here are the simple steps to make this pasta, and below, there’s the video with more details:
- Prep the veggies.
Slice the summer squash into thin half-moons and mince the garlic cloves. - Cook the pasta.
Once done, reserve ½ cup of pasta water. You'll use it later for the sauce. - Cook the veggies in a skillet.
Cook them with butter and seasonings to make them super flavorful. - Combine the cooked pasta with the veggies.
Then, add the gorgonzola crumbles and half of the reserved pasta water. You can add a bit more water for a saucier consistency. I also like to squeeze ½ a lemon over the pasta for a citric note.
Laura’s Favorite Swaps & Variations
This pasta with summer squash is super easy to customize with staples you have on hand in the fridge and pantry:
This recipe works perfectly fine with any pasta shape, from elbow macaroni to fettuccine and everything in between!
I usually make this recipe with green zucchini, but you can also use other varieties, such as yellow zucchini or yellow squash.
Tomatoes, broccoli, corn, and bell peppers are great veggies to include in this summer squash pasta for extra flavor, color, and nutrition!
Add your favorite protein to the pasta to make it even better. I often use rotisserie chicken to make pasta dishes complete, without spending too much time in the kitchen, but salmon pieces, or blackened chicken would also be delicious in this recipe.
Instead of Italian seasoning, you can season this pasta with any herbs or spices you like, keep it simple with just salt and pepper, or add a note of heat by adding a pinch of red pepper flakes.
More Summer Favorite Dinner Ideas
Add this pasta to your summer favorites list and try these grilled skewers with watermelon feta salad next! And your summer menu won’t be complete without this delicious avocado chicken you’ll want to enjoy all year!
Summer Squash Pasta
Watch how it’s made:
Ingredients
- 12 ounces pasta, your favorite
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced*
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 summer squash, sliced into thin half-moons
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- Pinch salt and pepper
- ¼ cup gorgonzola crumbles*
- ½ lemon
Instructions
Prep:
- Slice the summer squash in half and then chop it into thin half-moons. Mince or grate the garlic.
Cook the pasta:
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water before draining. Set aside.
Sauté:
- In a large skillet over medium heat, heat up the oil. Add the garlic and sauté for 15 seconds, stirring constantly. Add butter, sliced summer squash, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper to the skillet and sauté, stirring for about 5 minutes, until the summer squash has softened.
- Reduce the heat to low, add the cooked pasta into the skillet, and mix to combine. Add the gorgonzola crumbles and ¼ cup of reserved pasta water and stir. For a more saucy texture, add a bit more of the reserved pasta water.
Serve:
- Squeeze ½ a lemon over the pasta in the skillet, give it a quick toss, and serve.
- Sprinkle additional Gorgonzola crumbles and fresh, chopped herbs, optional.
Notes
- Swap fresh garlic cloves for 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder.
- Swap the gorgonzola cheese crumbles for crumbled goat cheese.
Louise says
wow!! This recipe made my kids eat that summer squash they always say they don’t like. Thank you!
Kaira says
This summer squash pasta is so good and not heavy at all!
Raina says
Squash and pasta YES!
June says
Absolutely DELICIOUS summer squash pasta. It’s already 90 degrees in Texas, so I’m cooking up all my summer recipes in May. This is a great one to kick off the season.