Summer Pasta Salad For Two

Make this super delicious Summer Pasta Salad with zucchini, basil, grape tomatoes and fresh mozzarella mixed with a homemade tomato vinaigrette.

Perfect on its own for a light meal or just add some grilled chicken or shrimp. So good!

Tonight was my night off from the gym so this means I got to cook a dinner that is a little bit more elaborate to make. I made blackened baked trout, warm veggie mix (corn, green beans & carrots), this garden pasta salad and these Skinny Cheddar Bay Biscuits.

Can you say heaven? Everything was sooo good! I had to really work on not over eating. The key is to eat just a little bit of everything so that the pounds don’t start creeping up on me!

Now that I have a household of two (Mr.Delish and I), I’m finding that I need to rewire myself on how much to cook so that there is no food waste.

For this reason, I’m changing how I write recipes for this blog. Most of them will be recipes for two and just a little leftovers to accommodate bigger appetites or for one lunch the next day.

Do you find yourself in the same situation? Please do tell! Drop me a line in the comments to see how many people are going thru the same thing!

How to make Summer Pasta Salad

Start by cooking the pasta first since it takes about 20 minutes for it to be ready.

To make the dressing , bring a small saucepan of water to a boil; add the garlic and cook 2 minutes.

Remove the garlic and place in a small food processor or small blender like a bullet.  Add the cherry tomatoes, vinegar, olive oil and basil; puree until smooth. 

Season with salt & pepper according to taste.

Once the pasta is done, assemble the salad in a pasta bowl and toss with the dressing.

Shave the zucchini into strips with a vegetable peeler or mandoline; halve the strips crosswise and add to the pasta. Add the tomatoes, mozzarella pearls, almonds and basil and toss. 

Season with salt and pepper according to taste.

Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve. Bring to room temperature before serving.

This recipe was originally published in August 2012. It was updated in June 2019 to revise the content and photographs. The original recipe remains the same. Enjoy! 

Recipe adapted from Food Network Magazine 

Summer Pasta Salad

A super delicious Summer Pasta Salad with zucchini, basil, grape tomatoes and fresh mozzarella mixed with a homemade tomato vinaigrette.

• Author: Ana Frias
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 6 cups 1x
• Category: Side dishes
• Method: Stove top
• Cuisine: American

Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

For the dressing

• 1 clove garlic
• 1/3 cup cherry tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons fresh basil
• 3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

For the salad

• 4 oz cellentani, campanelle or fusilli pasta
• 1/2 small zucchini
• 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
• 3/4 cup mozzarella pearls
• 1/4 cup silvered almonds
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced
• kosher salt & freshly ground pepper according to taste. 

Instructions

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions.  
2. While the pasta cook, make the dressing: bring a small saucepan of water to a boil; add the garlic and cook 2 minutes. 
3. Remove the garlic and place in a small food processor or small blender like a bullet.  Add the cherry tomatoes, vinegar, olive oil and basil; puree until smooth. 
4. Season with salt & pepper according to taste.
5. Make the salad: When the pasta is ready, drain it and rinse under cold water; shake off the excess.
6. Transfer the pasta to a bowl and toss with the dressing.
7. Shave the zucchini into strips with a vegetable peeler or mandoline; halve the strips crosswise and add to the pasta.
8. Add the tomatoes, mozzarella pearls, almonds and basil. Toss and mix well. Season with kosher salt and pepper.
9. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 2 cups
• Calories: 431
• Sugar: 4 g
• Sodium: 120 mg
• Fat: 27 g
• Saturated Fat: 6 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 0
• Trans Fat: 0
• Carbohydrates: 35 g
• Fiber: 5 g
• Protein: 15 g
• Cholesterol: 27 g

Keywords: side dish, cooking for two, lunch, summer parties, tomato vinaigrette, garden salad