Summer Squash Pasta Skillet (Print Version)

Tender summer squash and zucchini with cherry tomatoes in a light sauce, tossed with pasta and fresh herbs.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 medium yellow summer squash, sliced into half-moons
02 - 1 small zucchini, sliced into half-moons
03 - 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced

→ Pasta

06 - 12 oz short pasta (penne, rotini, or fusilli)

→ Dairy

07 - ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

→ Pantry

08 - 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
09 - ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
10 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Herbs

11 - ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, torn
12 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

# Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta cooking water before draining.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sliced onion and cook 2–3 minutes until softened and translucent.
03 - Stir in minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn.
04 - Add summer squash and zucchini to the skillet. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook 4–5 minutes until vegetables are just tender-crisp.
05 - Stir in cherry tomatoes and cook 3 minutes until they begin to soften and release their juices.
06 - Add drained pasta to the skillet. Toss everything together, adding reserved pasta water a splash at a time as needed to create a light, silky sauce that coats the pasta.
07 - Remove from heat. Stir in Parmesan cheese, basil, and parsley until combined. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve hot with extra herbs and cheese for garnish.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one skillet so cleanup is practically nonexistent
  • The pasta water trick creates a silky sauce without any cream
  • Its ready in under 40 minutes but tastes like it took all afternoon
02 -
  • Reserving pasta water is nonnegotiable—the starch is what makes the sauce cling to every piece
  • Overcooked squash turns to mush, so stay close to the stove once it hits the pan
  • The pasta finishes cooking in the sauce for the last minute, which is why I pull it early from the boiling water
03 -
  • Use a box grater instead of a microplane for the Parmesan—larger shreds melt more evenly
  • Slice the squash no thicker than a quarter inch so it cooks through before the pasta gets cold

Go Back