Light and Easy Summer Pasta

Name: Light and Easy Summer Pasta
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: Pasta
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided; 1/4 cup nice olive oil; 1 bunch scallions, clay cut, about 4 ounces; 3 large garlic cloves, chopped; 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, plus more for serving; 3 tablespoons butter; 1 pound pasta, we used long fusilli; 1 bunch parsley chopped medium, about 1 cup; 4 oz block of Romano cheese, grated (about ½ cup); 1 lemon, quartered

posted by Teri Turner on Aug 24, 2022 1 comment »

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Recently, I did a super fun cooking class with Spindrift, and we made this fabulous Light and Easy Summer Pasta!

Roy is a pasta expert, and he’s given me so many amazing tips over the years. Most recently, we’ve been embracing letting the pasta be the star of the show. Especially in the summer when you don’t want anything too heavy, it’s so nice to make a simple, light sauce. The pasta shines through for an amazing weeknight dinner, or for a special dinner that seems like you fussed, even though it couldn’t be easier!

What You Need To Cook Your Pasta

Kitchen Tools

Stock Pot for the pasta
Nonstick Pan for the sauce
Knife for chopping
Tongs for the pasta
Grater for the cheese

Ingredients

Salt
Olive oil
Scallions
Garlic
Red Pepper Flakes
Butter
Pasta, we used fusilli
Parsley
Romano cheese
Lemon for garnish

This summer pasta is made for substitutions! I want you to have fun with this in your own kitchen. Romano is a fun change from parmesan, but if parmesan is what you have, use it! If you don’t have parsley, you could throw in some chives, or any other herb you love and have on hand. If you want to up the vegetables, add in some peas or broccolini! For more protein, throw in some shrimp, chicken, pork, whatever you love. Take liberties to make this pasta delicious while making it work for you.

How To Make Your Summer Pasta

First, Make Your Sauce

Before starting the sauce, put the salted water on for your summer pasta so that it is ready to go. Then, heat your olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add scallions and garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. Then add ½ teaspoon of salt and the red pepper flakes and stir. Add butter and stir in until melted and turn off heat.

Second, Cook Your Pasta

When your water is at a roaring boil, add pasta and cook to package directions (for our fusilli it was about 11 minutes). When the pasta is al dente, scoop the pasta out of the water using tongs or a pasta spoon and add to the sauce. The pasta will finish cooking in the sauce while you stir it all together. Reserve ¼ cup of the pasta water if you are using regular pasta.

close up on summer pasta in a pan with a wooden spoon

Third, Assemble Your Summer Pasta Dish

Add parsley and 1/2 cup of the Romano cheese and toss. Add the 1/4 cup of pasta water if you’re using regular pasta. Serve with a squeeze of lemon and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes to taste, and enjoy!

If you have leftovers, Roy always says, this is the kind of dish you leave out on the counter. People will come back for it as the night continues, and it’s delicious even at room temperature. For any remaining leftovers, you can store them in the fridge and reheat gently in a pan with a bit of oil and/or butter.

More Pasta Dishes To Enjoy

If you like this summer pasta, be sure to check out all of our pasta options on the blog.
Some of my favorites are:
Roy’s Mangia
Grandma Pat’s Spaghetti Sauce
Summer Grilled Shrimp Pasta
Seafood Pasta from my cookbook

When you make the Light Summer Pasta, be sure you rate and review it below. I can’t wait to hear what you think and what fun ways you make it your own. If you’re looking for more inspiration, sign up for our Friday Favorites newsletter, and follow along on Pinterest, Instagram, and TikTok to join in all the fun!