Angel Hair Pasta Recipe with Summer Vegetables
Just because nights are getting a little shorter doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy summer’s bounty. Rather than fire up the grill in the dark, whip up a pot of angel hair pasta and top with summer squash, zucchini, herbs, and cherry tomatoes and pair with La Crema Sonoma Coast Chardonnay.
To keep summer around a little longer on your dinner table, when choosing your summer squash and tomatoes, select ingredients with warm hues, yellow, orange, red, and some greens. With each bite, you’ll leave guests with smiles on their faces as they imagine feeling the warmth of the sun on them.
Besides carefully choosing the colors of your ingredients, the keys to preparing this dish are selecting a variety of squash with different textures to give guests some crunch in each bite, not overcooking the squash–squash should be al dente like your pasta–and using cherry tomatoes in place of full-sized tomatoes. (Cherry tomatoes add a sweetness that balances the tarragon and Basil and softens the heat of the chile pepper flakes.)
Why You Will Love this Summer Pasta Recipe
This dish captures everything we love about late-summer cooking—it’s vibrant, quick to make, and packed with seasonal flavor. Angel hair pasta serves as a light, delicate base for tender summer squash, juicy cherry tomatoes, and fresh herbs. It’s easy enough for a weeknight dinner but beautiful enough to serve guests. And with just one pan for the vegetables and a pot for the pasta, cleanup is a breeze. Whether you’re making the most of garden-fresh produce or looking for a colorful, satisfying vegetarian meal, this recipe is sure to become a seasonal favorite.
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Now’s the perfect time of year to enjoy summer squash, zucchini, and cherry tomatoes. Look for cherry tomato varieties such as Lucky Tiger, Blush, Green Tiger, Pink Tiger, Sunrise Bumble Bee, Pink Bumble Bee, and Purple Bumble Bee.
Top angel hair pasta with lightly sautéed summer squash and zucchini for a light lunch entree or first course at dinner.
When scaling up or down the recipe to serve more people, be sure to maintain a ratio of roughly 2 cups topping to 3 cups cooked pasta.
Serve immediately to retain the crunch of the squash, zucchini, and tomatoes. Rather than individually plate present family style for guests to serve themselves.
Be sure to have grated parmesan or pecorino reggiano cheese, chile pepper flakes, and basil at the ready for guests to intensify flavor.
Angel Hair Pasta with Summer Squash, Zucchini, and Cherry Tomatoes
Author: Eden Hensley
Recipe type: Main
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 8
Ingredients
- Angel Hair pasta, 16 ounces (approximately 2 1/2 inches diameter of dry pasta)
- 3 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 pounds Yellow summer squash (roughly two to three), sliced in 1/4 inch rounds and halved
- 1 1/2 pounds Patty Pan squash (about two), sliced in 1/4 inch “rounds” and halved
- 1 1/2 pounds Zucchini (roughly two to three), sliced in 1/4 inch rounds and halved
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
- 1 pint, assorted cherry tomatoes, roughly sliced in quarters or halves
- 1 Tablespoon fresh Chives, minced
- 1 Tablespoon fresh Tarragon, minced
- 1 Tablespoon fresh Basil, roughly torn (optional, necessary if serving slaw in sweet peppers)
Instructions
- Prepare Angel Hair pasta according to directions on packaging.
- Heat Extra Virgin Olive Oil in either a large saute pan or work over medium-high heat.
- When the olive oil shimmers, add the onion and garlic.
- When the onion is almost translucent, about three to four minutes, add the zucchini and yellow squash and saute until almost tender, about five to serve minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Stir in cherry tomatoes and cook for an additional two minutes. Just enough time to heat the tomatoes through but not wilt them.
- Toss carefully with chives and tarragon, leaving on the heat no more than half a minute.
- Serve family style, using a slotted spoon to transfer to top of bowl with angel hair pasta. Toss carefully to distribute summer squash, zucchini, and cherry tomatoes. Top with fresh Basil.
To create a dish that reminds guests of warm summer days, aim for just over a third of your topping to be yellow or orange in color.
Easy Ingredient Swaps to Make It Your Own
This pasta is designed to be as flexible as it is flavorful. Whether you’re working with what you have on hand or tailoring it to your taste, these ingredient swaps keep the dish vibrant, seasonal, and satisfying.
Try these simple substitutions:
- Patty pan squash → Try thinly sliced carrots, delicata squash, or extra zucchini
- Cherry tomatoes → Use grape tomatoes, chopped Roma, or sun-dried tomatoes for a richer flavor
- Tarragon → Substitute with thyme, oregano, or even parsley
- Angel hair pasta → Swap with spaghetti, linguine, or even gluten-free pasta
- Want protein? → Add grilled shrimp, rotisserie chicken, or sautéed tofu for a heartier version
This dish is meant to evolve with your pantry or garden—just keep the balance of bright flavors, light texture, and seasonal ingredients at the heart of every variation.
What Wine Pairs with Angel Hair Pasta and Vegetables?
A light, garden-fresh pasta like this one practically begs for an equally bright and refreshing wine—and La Crema Sonoma Coast Chardonnay delivers. With its crisp acidity, subtle oak, and citrus-laced finish, it complements the sweet cherry tomatoes, balances the fresh herbs, and lifts the richness of the sautéed squash without overpowering the dish.
Here’s why it works so well:
- Crisp acidity cuts through olive oil and enhances freshness
- Bright citrus notes mirror the summery flavor profile of the veggies
- A touch of oak adds depth, especially if you top the pasta with Parmesan or serve it with roasted chicken
- Chilled Chardonnay is refreshing enough for warm evenings but structured enough for a cozy dinner in
Pairing this pasta with Sonoma Coast Chardonnay turns a simple weeknight dinner into something that feels just a little more special. Learn more about pairings in our blog on the ultimate guide to pasta and wine pairings.
Want more Pasta recipes? Check out these other delicious easy to make recipes from La Crema:
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