Find a Recipe!

Just a Little Bit of Bacon

where comfort food meets the farm stand

  • Home
  • Recipes
    • beverages
    • desserts
    • grilling and bbq
    • main courses
    • quick dinners
    • side dishes
    • soups and stews
  • mediterranean recipes
    • italian recipes
      • italian comfort food
      • italian antipasti
      • fundamentals of italian cooking
    • spanish recipes
      • spanish tapas
    • french recipes
      • french comfort food
    • greek recipes
  • holiday favorites
    • christmas
    • easter dinner
    • thanksgiving feast
  • resources
    • dinner and party menus
    • farmers’ market
      • ingredient spotlight
    • roundup post
  • About
    • Privacy Policy
  • Contact

Simple Farm Stand Summer Pasta

August 9, 2019 By justalittlebitofbacon 2 Comments

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase using my link. Click here for details.

  • Share
  • Tweet

It’s midsummer and the farm stands are packed! Full of zucchini, broccoli, green beans, kale, super ripe tomatoes, and so much more! That means it’s time to pick your favorites and make a light, fresh, and healthy summer pasta.

Close up of pasta tossed with fresh vegetables in a serving bowl.

Hello, all!

Ready for another veggie centric dinner? I know I am! During the summer when the produce is overflowing and everything is so fresh I can’t get enough light vegetarian and vegan meals.

And, yes, today’s meal is VEGAN as written with some vegetarian and meat-light variations you can use if you’re just trying to get meat out of the center of your diet.

Why make this recipe?

  • All the fresh summer veggies! Whatever looks good at the farm stand or in your CSA box or in your garden can work in the recipe.
  • Simple and quick. 30 minute meal!
  • Great hot or cold. It’s amazing hot from the stove and excellent the next day (though I recommend a little more vinegar and salt when cold)
  • Vegan/vegetarian. Enjoy it as is or add a little cheese for a vegetarian version.
  • Really tasty! Honestly. Made it. Ate it like I had never eaten before. Wrote it down. Made it some more times and finally stopped eating and took photos.

Top view of a large serving bowl of pasta with broccoli and tomatoes.

How to make this

To make summer pasta, first make a raw tomato sauce with ripe tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and vinegar. Then cook pasta and veggies. Toss everything together and top with basil.

1. Choose your veggies

While you must have tomatoes, the rest of the veggies are up to you! To keep things simple, I like to use veggies which can be cooked with the pasta or left raw. Though of course you can use a veggie which needs to be sauteed or roasted if you prefer.

Cooked with the pasta: Broccoli (which I used), diced Zucchini, Cauliflower, Green Beans, Leafy Greens (like kale, chard, or spinach).

Left raw: Cucumbers, Bell Peppers, shredded Carrots, spiralized Zucchini, fresh Corn cut from the cob, and Onions.

2. Make a raw tomato sauce

Here is where the tomatoes come in! Fresh and ripe tomatoes with a little oil and vinegar and some garlic make an amazing raw tomato sauce when tossed with hot noodles. This is the base of your meal.

Step by step on how to make the recipe.

3. Cook your pasta (and veggies)

You’ve got this bit! Cook your pasta in salted water and add the veggies into the last few minutes.

4. Toss together

Scoop out some of the water, drain the pasta, and put it back in the pot with the water. Cook it all together for a couple of minutes to make a thick sauce. And then toss it all with the raw tomato sauce in your bowl. Yum!

Tip: If you want to add parmesan cheese to the recipe a great time to do so is while you are cooking down the pasta to make the sauce. The parmesan will melt right in.

5. Choose add ins

Optional add ins (and maybe add a little protein to the party) include diced cheese, toasted nuts, chickpeas or other beans, and diced up bits of leftover meats from previous meals.

Two bowls of vegetarian pasta, one topped with mozzarella and the other topped with walnuts.

More Summer Pasta Recipes

If you love this recipe, you may love some of my other summer pastas! Here are a few:

  • Summer Shells with Raw Tomato Sauce (vegan)
  • Chicken Pesto Salad
  • Orecchiette with Leeks, Pancetta, and Corn Crema
  • Grilled Italian Pasta Salad (vegetarian)

If you try my recipe for Farm Stand Summer Pasta, I would love to hear from you in the comments with your experience and rating! And I’m happy to answer any questions you might have.

You can connect with me by subscribing to my emails (see the form in the sidebar or below the recipe card), liking my FACEBOOK page, or by following me on PINTEREST.

– Happy Eating, Annemarie

When the weather is hot it's time to go to the farm stand and make a fresh and simple vegetarian summer pasta! Great hot or cold, full of veggies, ripe tomatoes, and basil. | justalittlebitofbacon.com #summerrecipes #pastarecipes #italianrecipes #pasta #farmstand #vegetarian #vegan
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Simple Summer Farm Stand Pasta

When the weather is hot it's time to go to the farm stand and make a fresh and simple vegetarian summer pasta! Great hot or cold, full of veggies, ripe tomatoes, and basil.
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time15 mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: farmers' market pasta, summer pasta
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 425kcal
Author: justalittlebitofbacon

Ingredients

  • 3 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 10-12 oz short pasta, such as such as cavatappi, penne, or fusilli
  • 4 cups chopped veggies, see note
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh basil

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
  • In a large bowl, combine the chopped tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, red pepper flakes, kosher salt and any veggies you aren't cooking. (So any uncooked veggies from the list below would be added here.)
  • Add the pasta to the pot. Cook according to the package directions.
  • When the timer has 3 minutes left, add any veggies you are cooking to the pot.
  • Scoop out 1 cup of water from the pot. Then drain.
  • Toss the pasta, cooked veggies, and reserved water in the cooking pot. Cook together for about 2 minutes, until the water is thick and clings to the pasta. If you are adding parmesan put it in now.
  • Pour the pasta into the bowl with the tomatoes. Add the basil. Toss everything together. Serve.

Notes

  • Chopped Veggies: Any vegetables should be cut into small bite sized pieces or sliced thinly if they're greens.
    • Cook with the pasta: broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini and summer squash, green beans, hearty greens (kale, spinach, chard)
    • Add raw: Corn kernels, onion, bell peppers, cucumbers, shredded carrots, spiralized zucchini, baby greens
  • Optional add ins: Parmesan cheese, diced fresh mozzarella, toasted nuts, chickpeas or other beans, diced leftover chicken, diced salami
  • Garlic: If you want to mellow the garlic flavor, cook it in the boiling water for 30 seconds before mincing it.
  • Recipe Flow: When making the recipe I get the water going and use the time it takes for the water to boil and the pasta to cook to cut up the broccoli (or other veggies to cook) and then work on the tomatoes and uncooked veggies.
  • Eating Cold: If you want to have the dish as a cold salad, add another tablespoon of vinegar, a little more salt, and maybe a bit more red pepper flakes. My daughter prefers it cold and finds it needs a little more seasoning across the board when chilled.
Pasta and vegetables in a blue serving bowl with text overlay - Vegetarian Summer Pasta.
Pasta and vegetables in a blue serving bowl with text overlay - Farmstand Pasta.

Related Posts:

  • Pesto Pasta with White Beans
    Pesto Pasta with White Beans
  • How to Make Spring Greens Pasta
    How to Make Spring Greens Pasta
  • A Guide to the Summer Farmers' Market
    A Guide to the Summer Farmers' Market
  • Southwestern Brown Rice and Black Bean Salad
    Southwestern Brown Rice and Black Bean Salad
  • Italian Pasta al Pomodoro
    Italian Pasta al Pomodoro
  • Vegetarian Mediterranean Pasta with Feta and Artichokes
    Vegetarian Mediterranean Pasta with Feta and Artichokes
  • Share
  • Tweet

Filed Under: 30 minute meals, italian recipes, main courses, mediterranean recipes, pasta love, quick dinners, recipe, summer, vegan, vegetable dishes, vegetarian, vegetarian mains Tagged With: basil, broccoli, pasta, tomatoes

« Fresh Red Currant Sauce for Meat and Fish
Grilled Shrimp Skewers – Spanish Tapas »

Follow me on:

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter

Don’t miss a post!

Get new recipes in your inbox every week!

Disclosure:

Justalittlebitofbacon is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

Comments

  1. Emma says

    August 14, 2019 at 10:16 pm

    5 stars
    We had this pasta hot for dinner last week with the mozzarella added in. Used broccoli and bell peppers. Thumbs up all around! This recipe is a keeper.

    Reply
    • justalittlebitofbacon says

      August 15, 2019 at 9:10 am

      Thanks! I’m glad you all enjoyed it.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Hello, I’m Annemarie

Welcome to my kitchen! I’m a Italian-American girl who loves fresh foods, local ingredients, and all sorts of comfort foods. Here you will find Mediterranean flavors and recipes from a New England perspective.

Don’t miss a post!

Sign up here to have new recipes delivered to your inbox every week.

Follow me on:

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Spring Recipes

Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder - This slow roasted pork shoulder has meltingly tender meat that pulls apart easily and wonderfully crisp skin. Perfect for a crowd! It's not a beautiful roast, but you can't beat the flavor or the simplicity of it. | justalittlebitofbacon.com

Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder

Layered Frozen Strawberry Lime Daiquiri - This frozen strawberry daiquiri is all about intense fruit flavor from frozen strawberries pureed with rum and lime juice. For an extra festive touch make some lime daiquiri too and layer it on top of the strawberry daiquiri. | justalittlebitofbacon.com

Layered Frozen Strawberry and Lime Daiquiri

These rhubarb muffins are packed full of fruit and toasted walnuts and then sprinkled with cinnamon sugar to make a great, family-pleasing breakfast. | justalittlebitofbacon.com

Rhubarb Muffins with Cinnamon and Walnuts

Need some ideas for a great, make-ahead brunch? You'll have a little something for everyone with this spring brunch menu and have it all done the day before! | justalittlebitofbacon.com

Ideas for a Spring Brunch Menu

Want to know how to cook baby artichokes? In this easy recipe baby artichokes are trimmed up, topped with parsleyed bread crumbs and made into a baked artichoke gratin. Great holiday dish! | justalittlebitofbacon.com

Baby Artichoke Gratin with Parsleyed Crumbs

Moist Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting - Grinding up the carrots packs more carrots into each cupcake and makes these cupcakes extra moist and delicious! Creaming the butter and sugar together provides an extra tender crumb and a mostly flat top which is perfect for the lightly sweetened cream cheese frosting. | justalittlebitofbacon.com

Moist Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Reader Favorites

Parmesan Truffle Fries - Use frozen, bagged fries to have tasty truffle fries, covered in truffle oil, parmesan, and parsley on the table in less than 15 minutes. | justalittlebitofbacon.com

Quick and Easy Parmesan Truffle Fries

Easy, delicious, and full of bubbles! This pomegranate prosecco cocktail has everything you need for a great holiday drink. | justalittlebitofbacon.com

Pomegranate Prosecco Cocktail

The fresh cranberries in these fresh cranberry cookies give them such a bright and zingy flavor which is completely different from dried cranberries! Don't just use fresh cranberries for sauce. Make cookies! | justalittlebitofbacon.com

Fresh Cranberry Cookies

Throw out everything you know about making pie crust to make the best easy flaky pie crust you've ever made. Simple, all butter, no fail! | justalittlebitofbacon.com

Easy Flaky Pie Crust Recipe

Rich & Complex Traditional Bolognese Sauce - A long, slow simmer builds layers of flavor and makes this Bolognese sauce so rich and complex! Meaty, silky, and hearty. This is a sauce worth having on your stove all day long. Make some for today and freeze some for tomorrow. | justalittlebitofbacon.com

Rich & Complex Traditional Bolognese Sauce

This easy flourless chocolate cake is amazingly dense, rich and decadent. Every bite is packed with intense bittersweet chocolate flavor. | justalittlebitofbacon.com

Easy Flourless Chocolate Cake

Copyright © 2023 — Just a Little Bit of Bacon • All rights reserved. Privacy Policy • Disclaimer

Genesis Framework • Foodie Pro Theme • by Shay Bocks