Come summer, colorful cornucopias of tomatoes, okra, squash, peppers, and more, are ripe for the picking. Combine your favorite seasonal ingredients with cooked pasta and you’ve got an easy warm-weather supper in minutes. This collection of fresh and tasty recipes includes make-and-take pasta salads, hearty baked pastas, skillet pastas, and main-dish noodle salads. Whether you’re in the mood for something warm and comforting or cool and refreshing, there’s a dish in here for you.
Morgan Hunt Glaze; Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf; Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel
Summer cookouts aren’t complete without a cold pasta salad, and this one is a pickle lover’s dream come true. Loaded with fresh dill, dill cheese, and dill pickles, it’s dressed in a creamy sauce for extra tang.
One-Pan Garlic-Butter Shrimp With Orzo
Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Rishon Hanners; Prop Stylist: Audrey Davis
Summertime cooking should be easy-breezy, which is why we love this one-pan, 30-minute dish. The shrimp cooks right on top of the pasta, which adds another layer of flavor and saves you from having to wash an extra pan.
Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling; Prop Stylist: Prissy Lee Montiel
This light and silky pasta dish will have you dreaming of a summer in Italy. Best of all, it comes together in just 30 minutes with only a handful of ingredients.
Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
In this standout pasta salad, you’ll find all the usual suspects: bacon, cherry tomatoes, and romaine lettuce. But the star ingredient is the buttery garlic-and-herb panko that’s a crunchy stand-in for sandwich bread.
Wondering what to do with that bumper crop of summer squash? Our winner of a baked pasta dinner will put it to good use. Just make sure to broil the veggies before adding them to the pasta.
FRED HARDY, FOOD STYLIST: MARGARET MONROE DICKEY, PROP STYLIST: CALEB CLARKE
Need to toss together something quick that’s nice enough to bring to the neighborhood cookout? This is a great recipe to have in your back pocket for all those last-minute get-togethers. And if you don’t have one or two of the stir-in ingredients on hand, don’t worry—it will taste just fine without them, or you can add in whatever you do have.
Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
Swap out the zucchini with yellow squash for an easy summer twist to this radiant chicken pasta dish. If you’re lucky enough to have leftovers, this lemony recipe can be stored in the fridge for up to three days. Separate the chicken from the pasta so you can get the chicken nice and crispy again when reheating in the oven or air fryer.
Bold, bright flavors combine to make this refreshing pasta recipe that will bring some green to your weeknight dinner. The broccoli is so green thanks to the simple blanching process.
Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster
Sweet, fresh corn is the star of this delicious, creamy dish. Make sure to top it with bacon and Parmesan cheese for a perfect bite.
Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
We love a good Deviled Egg so much that we decided to combine pasta salad and our favorite Southern appetizer together to make something really special. It has all the components you love of both, and every bite is more delicious than the last.
This easy dish is perfect to prepare and freeze to cook on busy weeknights. Fresh lemon juice, dried oregano, and a hint of cinnamon add bright flavor to this feel-good supper.
It’s hard to believe this company-worthy dish comes together in just 20 minutes, but it does. The bright green pesto and colorful tomatoes make a beautiful plate that’s begging to be enjoyed even on the busiest of weeknights.
Robby Lozano; Food Stylist: Jasmine Smith; Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
Perfect for backyard cookouts or any summer gathering, this tangy, meaty, cheesy is so good, you’ll certainly have an empty bowl at the end of the night.
Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
This dish is like a bridge between spring and summer, with asparagus, peas, and cherry tomatoes. It’s infinitely flexible too—swap out some or all of these vegetables for others you prefer.
The secret to this crowd-pleasing summer pasta is that is comes together using a trio of shortcuts that couldn’t be easier to prepare. Penne is complemented by pre-peeled shrimp, frozen peas, and store-bought pesto, but your guests will never know it.
The whole cherry tomatoes cook on the stovetop until they burst, creating a flavorful sauce that perfectly coats the spaghetti. We like using fresh basil for garnish and both red and yellow tomatoes so that the colors of this dish burst just as the tomatoes do. This quick weeknight dinner is one the whole family will love.
Iain Bagwell; Prop Stylist: Heather Chadduck; Food Stylist: Ana Kelly
The hands-on time for this recipe is quick, giving you plenty of time to enjoy a drink on the porch while the pasta bakes in the oven. We love the cheesy pasta spin on a classic chicken and broccoli casserole, and we think your family will too!
ANTONIS ACHILLEOS; PROP STYLING: AUDREY DAVIS; FOOD STYLING: EMILY NABORS HALL
Store-bought cheese tortellini never tasted so good, and it only needs a few fresh ingredients to get there. The peppery bite of the arugula and sweetness of the peas and corn will have you rethinking your go-to pasta salad recipe.
Any meal with that killer bacon-ranch combo is going to be a hit. This pasta salad version with sliced cherry tomatoes and Parmesan is bright, creamy, and chock full of those favorite ranch herbs and bacon bits.
Serve this pasta dish as a main or a side. No matter which you choose, guests will be talking about this recipe long after the last bite is eaten. Tomatoes, pistachio, cucumber, feta, and basil pesto add up to a sunny dish fit for any summer occasion.
The bright and refreshing dish you crave on a hot Southern day is here. A touch of honey and a bit of Dijon add sweetness with a kick to this pasta dish with field peas, tomatoes, and herbs.
Your kitchen will smell absolutely delightful after preparing this aromatic dish. Garlic-red pepper shrimp and white wine butter sauce are a classic Italian-inspired combo that we’ll never stop making.
Asparagus, sugar snap peas, and English peas are just the crunchy trio this dish needs. Shrimp and orzo join the party with deliciously tangy dressing.
We made this pasta recipe with shrimp, but fresh crawfish or crab will do the trick, too. Seafood with bell pepper, grape tomatoes, and mayonnaise-based dressing is the lively combination you need to elevate your summer cookout menu.
This colorful pasta salad will be the pretty and delicious centerpiece of your summer cookout. With a farfalle base, it’s creamy with touches of pecan crunch and bursts of sweet grapes throughout.
Giddyup and add this recipe to your pasta repertoire—it’s sure to be a winner. Taco-inspired ingredients like black beans, corn, cheese, jalapeños, cilantro, and ground beef with lime dressing make a Tex-Mex combination your family won’t be able to get enough of.
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Clair Spollen; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Our very own Ivy Odom loves pickled shrimp so much that she decided to put them in a pasta salad. This refreshing, uniquely Southern recipe is the perfect side to serve with any main dish this summer.
