Give summer one last hurrah with this End of Summer Pasta Salad. Fresh, seasonal vegetables pair with perfectly cooked pasta for an ideal summer sendoff.
Summer is slowly slipping away and turning into rainy Autumn. It’s kind of sad.
Depending on where you live, Autumn can be a beautiful time of year. When I lived in Tennessee it was my absolute favorite season. I would spend all summer dreaming of the bright colors, crisp air, and comfortably cool weather after a few months worth of cut-the-air-with-a-knife humidity. Plus, there were always the holidays coming in their rightful seasons.
I know that the changing of seasons is a good thing and I should stop complaining and get over it. Okay, okay, I’m going to but I’m holding on to the last bits of summer by making recipes that scream summer to me. Pasta salad is something that I feel I didn’t make enough of this year.
This is one of the easiest dishes to throw together and the best part is that it is great eaten cold or hot. I, of course, served it cold for the most summery version, but heat this up and toss in some chicken and it can become a cozy dinner for a cold night.
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- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Primi
Ingredients
- 1 16-ounce box rotini pasta
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 small onion (chopped)
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary (minced)
- 1 teaspoon (fresh thyme, minced)
- 1/3 cup olive oil (divided)
- 2 medium tomatoes (diced)
- 1 large zucchini (diced)
- 8 ounces mozzarella cheese (cut into small cubes)
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare pasta according to package directions.
- While pasta is cooking, saute onion, garlic, rosemary, and thyme with 2 tablespoons oil until browned and fragrant.
- Drain pasta and pour into a large bowl. Add cooked onion mix, veggies, and cheese, then toss with remaining olive oil and balsamic. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve at desired temperature
