This healthy vegetarian Mediterranean pasta is an easy, breezy summer recipe, packed with nutritious veggies!

Healthy Mediterranean Style Pasta with Summer Veggies Recipe

This recipe is one of my tried and true recipes. I love this pasta dish for a quick go-to lunch. It’s a pasta dish that emphasizes fresh ingredients for an easy and healthy meal.

I love this pasta dish because it uses most ingredients that are already in my kitchen! Actually, this pasta came to be because I was trying to empty out the fridge, and the results were amazing! When you’re really hungry for lunch, you just want to get food out as quickly as you can, but still have an amazing flavour combination.

Well, this Mediterranean pasta does exactly that!

I made this recipe as part of my Cooking Basics & Essentials series on YouTube. This recipe is friendly for cooks at any level to prepare! Be sure to scroll to the end of this post to see the FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE as well as the detailed video to see how I

Fresh, Nutritious Ingredients

You won’t need much to make this recipe. Every ingredient works together to make a wholesome, satisfying pasta dish.

Garlic. Minced garlic will add fragrance to the dish.
Cherry tomatoes. Always a must for me! I love cherry tomatoes. They’re so juicy, and as they cook down, they’ll release their juices to create the “sauce” of this pasta.
Red chili flakes. To add a bit of heat to the dish.
Onions. I really couldn’t live without onions! In this dish, they caramelize as they cook, and they balance out the sweetness with the cherry tomatoes and add lots of flavours!
Zucchini. This is a summer veggie and is used in a lot of Mediterranean recipes. Also, the green really makes the dish pop!
Extra virgin olive oil. Don’t skimp out on this key ingredient! Olive oil is essential to Mediterranean cooking. It’s full of heart healthy fats and adds so much flavour to your veggies.
Parmesan cheese. A final sprinkling of Parmesan cheese to top the pasta really adds a nice nuttiness to the dish. Yum!
Salt and pepper to taste
Bowties. Even though I’m using white pasta because - sorry, I just don’t like whole wheat at all! - there are nutritional benefits. It’s high in fibre and protein.
I’m using bowties here because they’re just so much fun! But I also find that because we don’t have a thick sauce here, this pasta shape absorbs the flavours well.
If you aren’t using bowties, I would recommend penne rigate - not lisce (without the ridges) - so that the ridges absorb the flavours. Without the ridges, the juices from the veggies could slip and slide!
Another great shape would also be rotini. But to go with the summer theme, I find these bowties resemble butterflies flying! For another fun bowtie recipe, check out my Pesto Pasta with Grilled Chicken and Peas.

This recipe proves that a delicious pasta dish doesn’t need a long list of ingredients nor should it take long to make! To be honest, I have a hard time thinking of healthy vegetarian meals to make when I cook for my family. But I made this for them when I visited Delhi once and it was such a hit! Vibrant, colourful, and healthy, this Mediterranean pasta will become a go-to on your menu!

How to Make Mediterranean Style Pasta with Summer Veggies

This recipe is really quick to make, perfect for weeknights!

Begin by tossing the diced zucchini into a large colander.

Place the colander over a bowl or plate.

Then, generously add salt and mix well.

Let the zucchini sit in the colander for 20-25 minutes. The salt will help release excess water from the zucchini, helping to get a sear while cooking.

After, transfer the zucchini onto a paper towel and pat dry.

Bring water up to a boil. Season with salt and add your pasta. Cook as per package directions until al dente. Reserve about 1/4 cup pasta water.

In the meanwhile, heat a pan on medium heat with half of the olive oil. Add the zucchini to the pan.

Sear for 5-10 minutes or until the zucchini pieces are golden brown. Be sure not to let the zucchini get too brown.

When the zucchini has cooked, use a slotted spoon and remove the sauteed zucchini from the pan. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

In the same pan, add the remaining olive oil, chili flakes, garlic and onions.

Season with salt and cook for 3-4 minutes.

Return the zucchini back to the pan and add the cherry tomatoes.

Cook for 2-3 more minutes.

Add the pasta to the pan, allowing for some pasta water to drip into the pan.

Mix well and add freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

If the pasta looks too dry, add a splash of pasta water and mix well.

Top with freshly chopped basil.

Transfer to a plate and add the shaved Parmesan cheese. Serve hot and enjoy!

Switch it up!

Experiment with different pasta shapes that will absorb a thick sauce well, such as rotini or penne rigate.

Pack on the protein by adding some grilled chicken, Italian sausage, or sauteed shrimp.

Add your favourite olives

Swap the Parmesan cheese with feta cheese.

Watch How to Make Mediterranean Style Pasta with Summer Veggies Here:

I would appreciate you subscribe to the YouTube channel if you haven’t already! I’m trying to get many of these recipes in video format to make following along super easy - my goal is always to help you out on your cooking journey! Your support and feedback truly means a lot to me!

Okay, let’s get our healthy veggies out and start cooking!

Let me know what you think of this recipe in the comments! If you’ve tried this recipe, be sure to post it on social media and tag it with #cookingwithanadi and mention me @cookingwithanadi. Thank you!

bowties with zucchini and tomatoes, farfalle pasta, pasta with zucchini and tomatoes, quick and easy pasta, quick pasta dish, simple bowtie dish, simple pasta, simple pasta lunch, simple pasta with veggies,

Mediterranean, Italian, Healthy

Mediterranean, Italian

Yield: 4

Author: Anadi

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Mediterranean Pasta with Summer Vegetables

This healthy vegetarian Mediterranean pasta is an easy, breezy summer recipe, packed with nutritious veggies!

Prep time: 25 MCook time: 10 MTotal time: 35 M

Ingredients:

8 oz farfalle pasta (rotini also works really well)
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves
1/2 tsp red chili flakes
2 small zucchinis, sliced in half and diced
1/2 onion, cut in 1-inch dice
32-35 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half (about 12 oz)
1/2 Cup Parmesan cheese, grated (plus extra for serving)
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

To prepare the zucchini

Toss the diced zucchini to a large colander and add 1 Tbsp of salt, mix well. Place the colander over a bowl/plate and let it stand for 20-25 minutes.
The salt will help release excess water from the zucchini, which will help provide a golden brown sear and additional flavour.

To prepare the pasta

Bring water up to a boil, season generously with salt and add farfalle pasta. Cook the pasta to al dente, about 7-8 minutes. Reserve about a 1/4 cup of pasta water.
In the meanwhile, heat a pan on medium heat with the olive oil. Add the zucchini and sear for 5-10 minutes or until golden brown all over. Don't let the zucchini get too much colour.
Using a slotted spoon, remove sautéed zucchini from the pan. In the same pan with the remaining oil, add the chili flakes, garlic and onions. Lightly season with salt and cook for 3-4 minutes.
Add zucchini and tomatoes and cook for 2-3 more minutes. Add the pasta, letting a small amount of pasta water drip in the pan. Mix well and add the freshly grated parmesan. If pasta looks too dry, add a splash of pasta water and mix well.
Top with freshly chopped basil, shaved parmesan and serve hot.