This Pesto Pasta with Summer Vegetables is a must add to your weekly meal plan! It’s easy and cheap to make and kids love it too!
I’m pretty sure I could eat fresh pesto pasta all summer long! It’s one of my go-to 30 minute meals this time of year and today I decided to jazz it up with some seasonal summer veggies. I almost didn’t post this recipe because it way too easy, but I know there are some people out there in need of easy summer dinner recipes 🙂
My go to summer veggies are always zucchini, summer squash and red pepper, because you need some nice color in there! I also use a lot of cherry tomatoes and corn, but wanted to keep this pesto pasta pretty simple so it’s cheap to make as well as quick.
How To Make Pesto Pasta With Summer Vegetables
In my opinion, the most important part of a good pesto pasta is the pesto sauce. I always make my own pesto these days and it’s so much better than the store-bought stuff. But, the store-bought stuff is totally acceptable, especially when you’re looking for quick and easy! The main reason I don’t buy store-bought is because I like my pesto dairy free and it’s hard to find dairy free pesto at the store.
Another important part of this recipe is cooking the veggies until they’re browned and caramelized. I thought I hated zucchini and squash for so long but I recently realized I actually love them but I need to cook them long enough to get some real flavor on them.
The last part of a good pesto pasta is choosing the right noodle. The different shapes of noodles don’t taste any different from each other but it’s important to choose a noodle that will really hold onto the pesto sauce. I like to use a hollow noodle that has some nice ridges or curves so that it really holds onto the sauce. You can get creative and use any kind of noodle you like!
This Pesto Pasta with Summer Vegetables is always on rotation around here this time of year. It’s so easy to make, really flavorful and a great way to get kids to eat their veggies! I like to make my own pesto and use one part fresh herbs and 4 parts kale or spinach.
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Pesto Pasta with Summer Vegetables
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 1x
Description
This Pesto Pasta with Summer Vegetables is the perfect meal to add to your summer dinner rotation!
Ingredients
- 16 ounces pasta, your favorite kind
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 medium sized zucchini, diced
- 1 medium sized summer squash, diced
- 1 red pepper, diced
- 1 cup pesto, store-bought or homemade
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add olive oil, zucchini, squash, red pepper and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook veggies until browned and caramelized, 10-15 minutes.
- Drain pasta and add back to the pot, along with the cooked vegetables. Add in the pesto sauce and mix until everything is combined. Best when served immediately.
Notes
Pasta can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Category: Dinner, Vegan
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
This was very easy to make! Thank you! I made pesto from a different recipe. It was delicious!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!!
Could you share your homemade pesto sauce? Thank you
I don’t usually measure much but the basic recipe is 4 cups kale or spinach, 1 cup herbs (basil, cilantro, or mint) small handful of nuts, garlic clove, lemon juice, 1-2 tablespoons nutritional yeast, salt and olive oil 🙂