48 Veggie-Forward Pasta Recipes That Make The Perfect Summer Meals (2024)

Whipped ricotta might just be one of the best pasta upgrades, especially when it’s paired with a sun-dried tomato sauce and spinach like we did here. In one bowl, you get all the enjoyment of a marinara with the creaminess of something like an Alfredo sauce. You’re going to love the irresistible balance of flavor.

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Don’t be fooled by the name—this pasta has no cream. Instead, you’ll puree fresh corn, sautéed garlic, and scallions into a luscious sauce that’s topped with Parmesan, basil, and even more corn. With just these few ingredients, you can have a crowd-pleasing summer pasta on the table in only about 30 minutes.

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We believe that summer dinners should be both quick and easy, so this skillet pasta dinner requires just a handful of ingredients—bowtie pasta, marinara sauce, chicken sausage, zucchini, bell pepper, spinach... SO EASY.

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Here’s one way to get more veggies into picky eaters’ mouths: Score and scoop out zucchini pulp, chop and cook it down with spices into a cream sauce, then incorporate it into good ol’ kid-approved .

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This recipe is proof that a killer pasta sauce doesn’t need a long simmer on the stovetop—this one concentrates the cherry tomatoes' flavor through bursting them in the skillet, along with tomato paste that intensifies the tomato flavor while also adding umami. Yum!

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What isn’t pesto good in? It’s a sauce that turns any dish into kitchen gold, especially this totally comforting and delicious gnocchi and chicken bake. Whether you use our go-to pesto recipe to get started or buy your favorite store-bought version to speed things up, this dish isn’t going to last long—it’s the kind of meal people will fight over the last spoonful.

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This simple summer pasta has it all: tender, garlicky morsels of eggplant, a cheesy panko topping, and lots of fresh basil. Just add your favorite pasta, and you've got dinner!

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Rich and creamy with deep tomato flavor, this is the vegan pasta you make for lifelong dairy lovers. Vegan or not, this indulgent pasta is sure to have everyone going back to the pot for another serving.

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These foil packets trap in steam from the wine and juices from the tomato and corn as everything grills, which in turn cooks the gnocchi here to perfectly tender while infusing the pasta with all the flavors of the dish. Bonus: Some of the meal browns a bit on the bottom right before it finishes cooking, adding extra flavor.

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This is our “I feel like cooking with a glass of wine in hand” pasta. The sauce is simple, which lets the caramelized lemons do the heavy lifting. Boiling them first will help get rid of the excess bitterness, and you can use the same pot of water to cook your pasta in, so really, it barely feels like an extra step.

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Here, a simple combination of fresh aromatics, white wine, and seafood stock transforms humble Italian rice grains into the dreamy, cheesy, luscious rice porridge that we’ve all come to love. Adding fresh, faintly sweet lobster meat is all that’s needed to take your risotto over the top.

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Here, pasta sauce is made even better with a bit of cream and a delicious topping of burrata. The cherry tomatoes add a bit of sweetness to the sauce and make it feel fresher. It tastes too good to be as easy as it is, and that’s just what we want for a weeknight pasta dinner.

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Inspired by delicious and oh-so-summery succotash, this colorful gnocchi is extra hearty and full of fresh flavors. Succotash is the best way to use some of favorite summer vegetables like corn, summer squash, and beans, but feel free to sub in your faves (or whatever you've got lingering in the fridge 😉).

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When you’re in the mood for a one-pan dinner that delivers on the comfort food factor, this recipe with creamy orzo, salmon fillets, and sun-dried tomatoes is the one to turn to.

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This is everything you love about chicken piccata, without the chicken, and with a sauce that's bright, briny, and extra buttery. Take your time with the mushrooms; you need to let them crisp and turn a dark golden brown. (Tip: Wait to salt them, as salt will draw out moisture, making them soggy instead of crisp.)

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This easy one-pot chicken dinner has got it all: protein, carbs, and fresh veggies all in one skillet. The flavors in this recipe take their cues from shawarma, the popular Levantine dish that features thin cuts of seasoned meat, so serve it alongside other Middle Eastern-inspired sauces on the side, like tzatziki, tahini sauce, or baba ghanoush.

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We’ll never say no to pasta night, but sometimes we want to add a new, fresh flavor to our meal. Our best suggestion? Crack open a can of chipotle chiles. Their smoky, slightly spicy flavors are extra delicious when mixed up with some heavy cream and paired with quick-cooking shrimp.

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Not a big fan of rice but love the creaminess of risotto? This recipe is for you: Just like in risotto, orzo is slowly cooked in chicken broth until the starch is gradually released, creating creamy saucy goodness you'll love.

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When you cook zucchini low and slow for 4 hours, something magical happens—it turns into an ultra creamy sauce, perfect for pasta. There's no actual meat in this Bolognese, so feel free to add ground beef or lamb if you want!

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Though you totally could roast your own peppers for this dish, we actually preferred the jarred version while testing this recipe. The store-bought variety tends to be more tender, which makes for a smoother, more velvety sauce. Creamy, smoky, and spicy, this comforting shrimp pasta is low effort, high reward.

Get the Roasted Red Pepper Shrimp Linguine recipe.