Summer Squash Pasta Skillet (Print View)

Tender squash and cherry tomatoes tossed with pasta in a light herb sauce. Ready in 35 minutes.

# What You 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 (optional)

07 - ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese or vegan alternative

→ 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

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain and set aside.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook 2–3 minutes until soft.
03 - Stir in garlic and cook another 30 seconds until fragrant.
04 - Add summer squash and zucchini; season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Cook 4–5 minutes until just tender.
05 - Add cherry tomatoes and cook, stirring, until they begin to soften and release juices (about 3 minutes).
06 - Add drained pasta to the skillet. Toss to combine, adding reserved pasta water a splash at a time as needed to create a light sauce.
07 - Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan if using, basil, and parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve hot, garnished with extra herbs and more cheese if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one skillet, which means less cleanup and more time for that second glass of wine
  • The way summer squash melts into the sauce creates this incredible velvety texture without any cream
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes but looks and tastes like something you planned all day
02 -
  • That pasta water you saved is absolutely essential—it contains starch that helps the sauce cling to every piece of pasta
  • Summer squash releases a lot of water as it cooks, so dont be tempted to add too much extra liquid
  • The vegetables continue cooking after you add the pasta, so slightly undercook them in the skillet
03 -
  • Slice your vegetables as evenly as possible so everything finishes cooking at the same time
  • Dont skip the step of reserving pasta water—it's the secret to restaurant-quality sauce consistency
  • Tear the basil by hand just before adding it; cutting it with a knife makes it bruise and turn dark

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