Summer Veggie Pasta Dinner

DeeCooks's Note:

This is our new favorite summer dinner when time is short. With garlic bread, it's a totally perfect dinner! It goes together quickly once everything is chopped. Try to cut the veggies about the same size as the pasta for the best results. The veggies are listed in the order I saute/add them in, since we like everything about evenly cooked. It might seem like a lot of garlic, but it cooks long enough to become sweet and nutty. I usually add another crushed clove toward the end to add more fresh garlic taste. (We love garlic...) This is definitely a recipe to play with, and amounts/ingredients are completely flexible--though I do like the ratio of pasta/olive oil/cheese as I've posted...

• Total Time: 20 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 0 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 -3 tablespoons rough chopped garlic
• ½ cup sweet bell pepper , chopped (red, orange, yellow is good)
• 2⁄3; cup zucchini , sliced (or other summer squash)
• ¼ cup sliced mushrooms
• ½ cup cherry tomatoes , halved
• ¼ cup chopped green onion
• ¼ cup chopped flat leaf parsley
• ¼ cup chopped basil
• 3 ounces mild goat cheese , crumbled (chevre)
• salt and pepper
• 8 ounces farfalle pasta or 8 ounces rigatoni pasta or 8 ounces rotini pasta

Directions:

1. While putting sauce together, cook pasta as directed, drain. It'll probably be ready close to when the veggies are --
2. Slowly cook garlic in olive oil, low heat, about four minutes.
3. Raise heat a bit, add bell peppers, cook another 3-4 minutes, then add zucchini and mushrooms.
4. Prevent child from eating all the goat cheese.
5. When zukes and peppers are cooked to your liking (about 4 more minutes for us), add remaining ingredients and heat through til tomatoes give up some of their juices and the cheese has melted into the sauce.
6. Stir in cooked pasta and heat through. Pasta will soak up the sauce.
7. Serve with extra crumbled goat cheese on top if desired.

Reviews

[BurgundyS]

This was excellent and I will definitely make it again! I made it exactly as written and at first I was a bit worried there wouldn't be enough sauce for the pasta, but it turned out perfectly. Thanks!

[The Silly Goose]

What a great versatile recipe! Next time I will add a spash of white wine. Great with wine and crusty bread on a warm summer night. Was VERY quick to prepare and adaptable to what I had on hand.

[Jen's Kitchen]

I omitted the mushrooms and goat cheese. Used a bag of shredded cheese instead. Wonderful dish!