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orecchiette pasta salad with tomatoes and basil in a deep white plate
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Summer Pasta Salad

Enjoy Summer Pasta Salad as a refreshing main dish or side! Bursting with flavor, it's sure to be a family favorite for picnics and BBQs!
Course Main or side dish
Cuisine American
Keyword pasta salad summer, pasta salads for summer, Summer pasta salad, summer salad pasta
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 506kcal
Author Isabel Laessig

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 medium zucchini diced
  • 2 cups cherry tomatoes
  • salt and black pepper to taste
  • 12 oz. Orecchiette pasta
  • ½ cup olives pitted or black olives
  • ¼ teaspoon chili flakes or finely diced fresh red chilies, according to desired spice level (omit for no spice)
  • ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • ¼ cup fresh basil leaves chopped

Instructions

  • Cut 1 medium zucchini into bite-size pieces.
    1 medium zucchini
    sliced zucchini on a cutting board
  • Slice 2 cups cherry tomatoes in half. Set the tomatoes and the zucchini aside.
    2 cups cherry tomatoes
    sliced cherry tomatoes on a cutting board
  • Cook 12 oz. Orecchiette pasta according to package directions until al dente (still slightly firm, but not underdone). Once cooked, drain pasta in a colander and rinse under cold running water to stop the cooking process. Then, set aside.
    12 oz. Orecchiette pasta
    orecchiette pasta in a pot of water
  • While the pasta cooks, heat 1 Tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add zucchini and cook 5-7 minutes.
    ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, 1 medium zucchini
    sliced tomatoes and zucchini in a pan with salt and pepper
  • Add halved cherry tomatoes. Season zucchini and tomatoes with salt and black pepper to taste, and cook another 2-3 minutes.
    2 cups cherry tomatoes, salt and black pepper
    zucchini and tomatoes cooked in a pan
  • Add drained pasta to the skillet and stir to combine completely.
    12 oz. Orecchiette pasta
    adding orecchiette pasta to pan of zucchini and tomatoes
  • Toss in the ½ cup olives and gently combine. Stir and combine with the remaining olive oil.
    ½ cup olives, ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
    adding olives to pan with zucchini, tomatoes, and pasta
  • Plate and garnish with ¼ teaspoon chili flakes, ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, and ¼ cup fresh basil leaves. Or, chill for 30 minutes before serving for a cold pasta salad.
    ¼ teaspoon chili flakes, ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, ¼ cup fresh basil leaves
    a white plate with summer pasta salad surrounded by tomatoes

Notes

  • Black olives or pitted olives can be used, or olives can be omitted.
  • Swap Parmesan for feta or goat cheese if you prefer.
  • Use less chili flakes, or omit them, according to spice preference.
  • You can use gluten-free pasta to make this dish gluten-free.
  • Make this dish vegan by using a vegan cheese alternative or vegan Parmesan cheese.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 506kcal | Carbohydrates: 69g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 383mg | Potassium: 500mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 694IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 120mg | Iron: 2mg