15 Lightened-Up Pasta Recipes for Summer That Aren’t Pasta Salad
Summer is in full swing. And when the temperature rises and your clothes get lighter, your meals should lighten up too. The last thing you want to do when lounging by the pool is devour a meal that’s going to leave you feeling bloated and tired. We scoured the depths of the Internet and found 15 pasta recipes that are light, refreshing and totally yummy. Read on for the delicious deets.
1. Sesame Noodle Miso Bowl: Are you ready to take soba noodles to the next level? Whip up this dish with fresh vegetables, miso dressing and fried garlic chips for a meal you’ll want to eat every day of the week. (via Half Baked Harvest)
2. Lemon Garlic Pasta With Salmon: This summer pasta is not only light, but it’s also healthy thanks to the baked salmon. Top the dish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese right before serving and get ready to pat yourself on the back. (via The Cooking Jar)
3. Zucchini Carbonara: The sauce on this pasta is so creamy and velvety that you’d never know there isn’t actually any cream in it. (via The Brewer and the Baker)
4. Thai Quinoa Noodle Salad: Packed with loads of protein, fresh veggies and flavor, this noodle bowl makes good use of zucchini noodles (or zoodles) to keep it light and nutritious. (via Inspiralized)
5. Kale and Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta: Bowtie pasta is the perfect backdrop for stir-fried kale, toasted pine nuts and sun-dried tomatoes. And it makes a complete meal that’s ready in less than 20 minutes. (via Turmeric and Truffle)
6. Avocado Pesto Pasta: For a mouthwatering twist on an old favorite, switch out the basil leaves in your next batch of pesto for an avocado. (via The Blonde Chef)
7. Summer Gnocchi: Sliced zucchini, corn and Parmesan cheese make this one decadent summer dish. (via Joanna Meyer)
8. Simple Lemon Basil Pasta: A pre-cooked rotisserie chicken makes this pasta a cinch to throw together and will leave you with enough for lunch the next day too. Score! (via Foody Schmoody)
9. Grilled Veggie and Pasta Bowls: Use up all that extra produce lingering in your refrigerator with this anything-goes pasta bowl. (via Whole and Heavenly Oven)
10. Zucchini Noodle Soup: A one-pot meal that goes from stove to table in less than 10 minutes? This one’s a keeper. (via Peas and Crayons)
11. Summer Vegetable Pasta: Serve this dish hot or devour it cold. Either way, it’s downright delicious. (via Elemental Custard)
12. Skinny Summer Pasta: A creamy pasta covered in a mound of asparagus, leeks and peas makes for a meal you’ll look forward to making (and eating!). Make this a #meatlessmonday meal by leaving off the shrimp. (via Olives and Garlic)
13. Flank Steak and Zoodles: Fire up the grill and throw on a couple steaks to accompany your zucchini noodles (which only need to cook for 90 seconds in a heated wok). This pasta-less noodle dish is a super easy weeknight dinner. (via What’s Gaby Cooking)
14. Tortellini Skillet: This single-skillet meal is so full of veggies you won’t even notice that there’s not a ton of pasta and hardly any sauce. (via Cookie Monster Cooking)
15. Pesto and Tomato Pasta: Sometimes the best meals are the ones with fresh, simple ingredients like this classic pesto pasta. Add chopped cherry tomatoes for an extra burst of flavor and be prepared to go back for seconds. (via Real Food Whole Life)
Which one of these light summer pastas will you be feasting on this week? We’d love to hear from you.
