4 Recipes for Delicious Summer Pastas

In the summer heat, there is nothing better than a refreshing pasta dish. Whether it’s at a barbeque or your break room at work, fresh pastas can transport you to a Mediterranean location where you can enjoy the sun on your skin. While creamy mac and cheese and heavy pasta dishes are great for filling your belly in the cold winter months, veggies from your garden or a local farmer’s market pair great with lighter cheeses to make delicious summer pasta combos. Here are 4 of our favorite recipes for delicious summer pastas that you should try this year. 

Spaghetti aglio e olio

This pasta is as simple and straightforward as its translation (spaghetti with garlic and olive oil) while tasting as fancy and luxurious as its name. Start by sautéing garlic in olive oil with red pepper flakes, then toss it into the cooked spaghetti and mix in chopped parsley. 

If you like more sauce on your pasta, add in a bit of water, and feel free to add lemon juice or cheese on top to add just a bit of a fresh kick. Something to be wary of is the oil separation if you have leftovers, so you might want to reheat the dish in a skillet with a splash of water to recreate the sauce. Simple, fresh, and quick to prepare, this is a dish that Italians in Naples enjoy, and often add in anchovies or other favorite toppings. Enjoy the simplicity and elegance that this pasta provides and you’ll be a hit at any summer get together.

Pasta primavera

To start off, primavera means spring in Italian. But when you include vegetables from your favorite season, in this case summer, it creates a dish perfect for your beach days or warm picnics at a park. Some of our favorites to include are tomatoes, zucchini, corn, and onions. After browning them with sugar and garlic in the oven, simply toss the veggies with your pasta and add a few of your favorite spices (we like red pepper flakes and basil to name a few).

Finish off the dish by adding in a rich sauce, traditionally made with heavy cream. By swapping out the traditional heavy cream with olive oil, butter, and romano cheese, you can create a more light and airy dish that screams summer. Just like that, you have a veggie packed pasta dish that’s customized to your liking, light enough for summer, and easy to make. 

Leftover spaghetti

Spaghetti might not be the first type of pasta dish that comes to your mind when you imagine a summer meal. However, this spaghetti dish ditches the heavy red sauce and meatballs and utilizes extra produce from any summer salads or other dishes you’ve been making. Our favorite leftovers to include are cherry tomatoes, onion, garlic, and basil, added with a pinch of sugar and extra virgin olive oil. 

All you have to do is cook your vegetables until they’re soft, add in your selected spices, and combine with spaghetti. Then add in a bit of pasta water to create a sauce that coats the noodles and top it with parmesan or romano cheese. If you’re looking to add in a bit of protein, you can add in some grilled chicken and make it a more filling dish for your busy summer days. 

Green summer pasta

If you’re looking for a good way to eat your greens this summer, this is the perfect pasta for you. From spinach and basil to zucchini and pesto, this is a hit across the board. To create this healthy and delicious side or appetizer, combine cooked zucchini, pasta, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, basil, and pesto and stir until coated. Add in spinach and toasted pine nuts on top, and you have a dish ready to serve that looks like it came from a five star restaurant. 

The key to a successful summer pasta

Pastas that are perfect for summer all have a few things in common—they are light on the sauce, heavy on the vegetables, and easy to create. Adding your own spin is welcome and ensures that you’ll never be bored when enjoying a popular favorite dish all season long. If you’re looking for a break from cooking, our chef would love to have you for dinner. Come grab a taste at the Albert and enjoy a one-of-a-kind Italian meal.

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