Summer Garden Pasta Salad Recipe

Summertime is known for its abundance of fresh fruit and veggies, and if you are something of a gardener yourself, you'll know that there are few things more satisfying than growing your own produce in your garden or allotment. This summer garden pasta salad, from the kitchen of recipe developer Jennine Rye, is full of vegetables and herbs that a green-fingered home cook might well grow in their own backyard. Fusilli pasta is paired with summer garden classics such as zucchini, tomatoes, and bell peppers, and packed with fresh parsley, basil, and chives for a hint of fresh herby brightness. A simple lemon, garlic, and olive oil dressing ties everything together, and a sprinkling of pine nuts adds texture and nutty sweetness, for a pasta salad that absolutely sings of summer.

Even if you are horticulturally challenged and you have more of a knack for killing plants rather than growing them (we've all been there), you'll love this easy and delicious summer garden pasta salad, and there's certainly nothing stopping you from simply picking up the ingredients from the grocery store. Perfect for meal prepping or as a potluck dish for a summertime grill session, and ready in under 30 minutes, this easy and colorful pasta salad is one you'll come back to time and time again.

To begin this summer garden pasta salad recipe, first you will need to gather the ingredients. For the salad you will want fusilli pasta, zucchini, olive oil, salt and pepper, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, parsley, basil, chives, and pine nuts. For the dressing you will need more olive oil, the juice and zest of a lemon, garlic puree, and salt and pepper.

Heat salted water in a large saucepan until simmering.

Add the fusilli pasta and cook according to the package instructions.

Drain the pasta and run it under cool water. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.

Add the diced zucchini, season with salt and pepper, and saute for 3 to 4 minutes.

Remove zucchini from the pan and set aside.

To assemble the dressing, combine ½ cup olive oil with the lemon juice and zest, garlic puree, and salt and pepper to taste.

In a large bowl, add the cooled fusilli pasta, zucchini, tomatoes, and bell peppers.

Add the chopped parsley, basil, and chives.

Drizzle over the dressing and toss well.

Sprinkle the pasta salad with pine nuts before serving.

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This summer garden pasta is a simple and versatile dish that provides a great way to use up any veggies you may have lying around in your refrigerator. While this recipe uses a mixture of zucchini, bell peppers, and cherry tomatoes, feel free to swap these out or even bulk them out with any number of other vegetables such as celery, beans, peas, cucumber, lettuce, or squash — you really can't go wrong! An easy way to keep things fresh and interesting with this pasta salad is to mix up the dressing. Adding mayonnaise or Greek yogurt will add a creaminess to the mixture, or you can whip up a simple honey and mustard dressing for something with a great balance of sweetness and punchiness.

For other adaptions, crumbled feta cheese makes an excellent addition to this salad, as do a variety of hard cheeses such as Gruyère, and also blue cheeses such as Gorgonzola, Roquefort, or Stilton. To add more protein to this dish, tossing some ham or shredded chicken into the mix will work wonderfully with the other flavors. Another great way to switch up this pasta salad is by adding chopped nuts or a toasted seed mixture in place of the pine nuts for plenty of nutrients as well as a crunchy texture.

One of the many great things about pasta is the myriad of shapes and sizes it comes in; there really is a specific type for every occasion imaginable. So, when it comes to assembling a pasta salad, you've got a lot of options to choose from but there is one shape that is head and shoulders about the rest. Fusilli is the go-to pasta type for the majority of pasta salads, and there are several good reasons as to why. The spiral shape of fusilli makes it very sturdy and thus less prone to breaking or disintegrating, making it able to hold its shape easily when tossed with other ingredients. Its design also makes it particularly suitable for eating with a fork, as well as maintaining its visual appeal, which is all too important when it comes to a satisfying dining experience. As well as this, the particular shape of fusilli helps the dressing to stick in their folds, giving you plenty of flavor with every bite. 

Of course, you certainly aren't limited to fusilli for pasta salad. Rotini is another spiral-like shape that would work well in this recipe. Penne, cavatappi, farfalle (AKA bowties), or even elbow noodles would all get the job done.

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