Today I want to share with you a summery pasta salad that I’m addicted to!

It can be eaten hot or cold, so this penne with summer vegetables is a great make-ahead option. And no mayonnaise means you don’t have to be too worried if it sits outside at the pool for a bit before you can eat it!

I love it so much that I can treat it as a main dish – perfect for a no-brainer lunch. For those who can’t imagine meatless meals, just add some diced chicken on top, easy!

This recipe is based on one from Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything (aka the cookbook I turn to most, he’s the best), with a few adjustments of my own.

Get chopping! Dice onion and tomato, and cut the zucchini into half moons.

Cook the zucchini and corn. After 5 minutes, add the garlic and onion.

After another 5 minutes, add the tomatoes and spices.

Meanwhile, cook pasta as instructed.

Throw everything in a large mixing bowl, along with some olive oil and salt.

Mix well and serve!

The veggies choices are up to you – this is a great dish to throw in whatever needs using in your fridge, but it’s also perfect for fresh summery veggies too!

Penne with Summer Vegetables

Ingredients:

• 1 lb penne or other short pasta
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 zucchini
• 1 medium onion
• 1 1/2 cup corn kernels (3-4 ears)*
• 4 Roma or 6-8 plum tomatoes
• salt & pepper to taste
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1/4 tsp dried marjoram

Steps:

1. Boil a large pot of water. When bubbling, add pasta and follow package instructions to cook.
2. Meanwhile, dice your onion, garlic and tomatoes (keep separate) and cut zucchini into half moons. Cut the kernels off the ears of corn.
3. Add 1 tbsp oil to a large skillet. Cook the corn and zucchini for about 5 minutes on medium high heat, then add the onion and garlic. After another 5 minutes, add the tomatoes and spices and mix well. Keep on low until pasta is done.
4. Put pasta into a large mixing bowl and add 1-2 tbsp of olive oil. The goal here is to keep the pasta from sticking to each other without drowning everything in oil. Add the vegetables and mix well. If you want the vegetable mixture to be a little more sauce-like, add pasta water to it until achieving your desired texture.

Serve immediately, or put in the fridge until you’re ready to dig in!

*= If you’re in a hurry, you can use frozen steam-in-a-bag corn. Microwave it separately and mix it in during step 4. I’ve found that Target brand tastes very sweet and fresh! 

Enjoy!

all images copyright Teaspoon of Nose

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