This pasta dish is full with flavors of summer. From sweet corn to tender zucchini to juicy grape tomatoes, this dish delivers exceptional flavors in every bite. Ground sausage and creamy ricotta help to complete this dish.
I love pasta. And I also love making pasta for the season. This summer pasta hits all of the notes. Plus it’s very easy to make, only uses 2 pans (1 for the pasta, 1 for everything else), and can be made in less than 30 minutes if you prep the vegetables while you cook the sausage and pasta!
What you need:
- Rigatoni. My favorite pasta. But use whatever pasta you prefer!
- Ground sausage. I like using hot Italian, but you could also use mild or sweet.
- Shallot and garlic. Staples in any sauce. Use shallots for a sweeter taste, but you could also sub in yellow or sweet onion instead.
- Yellow and green squash. The perfect summer vegetables.
- Sweet corn. I use canned corn because it’s easier, but you can definitely use corn off the cob for even more summer freshness!
- Grape tomatoes. These carry the perfect amount of sweetness. You can also use cherry tomatoes.
- Ricotta. I like using whole milk ricotta, but use whatever you like!
- Basil and crushed red peppers. The spices that add more flavor to the dish.
You simply start with cooking the ground sausage in a sauté pan on medium heat. Once that is fully cooked, set it aside. Add your shallot, garlic, and squashes to the pan and sauté for 5 minutes until they start to soften and the garlic becomes fragrant, stirring frequently. Then, add in the grape tomatoes and corn. Cook until they’ve softened. The tomatoes should start to crinkle and soften. Keep cooking until the skin is about to fall off. Then add back in the sausage.
As all of that is going down in the sauté pan, in a large pot, cook your pasta according to package directions. I always prefer my pasta on the al Dente side. Once your pasta is cooked to your liking, save 1 cup of pasta water before draining your pasta. Set both the drained pasta and the pasta water aside.
Once the tomatoes have cooked down and as more “saucy” reduce the heat to a simmer. Mix in the red pepper flakes and the chopped basil as well as the sausage. Then stir in the pasta, pasta water, and ricotta until sauce is creamy. Serve up in low pasta bowls and enjoy!
This pasta captures all the best flavors of summer. Yellow and green squash are combined with sweet corn and grape tomatoes to create a delightful sauce. Heartened with creamy ricotta and savory sausage, this is a dish that’ll keep you coming back for more.
Summer Pasta with Sausage
Serves: 4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 lb Rigatoni, save 1 cup pasta water
- 1 lb ground Italian sausage
- 1 shallot, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 green squash, chopped into half moons
- 1 yellow squash, chopped into half moons
- 1 15.5 oz can of sweet corn
- 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ cup ricotta cheese
Directions:
- Prepare pasta according to package instructions and preferred doneness. Once cooked, save 1 cup pasta water then drain the pasta and set aside.
- While pasta is cooking, preheat a large sauce/sauté pan over medium heat. Add in sausage and cook through until slightly browned, about 7 minutes, while stirring frequently to ensure an even cook. Once finished, set aside.
- In the same pan, add 1 tbsp olive oil. Once oil is heated, add in the shallot, garlic, and green and yellow squash. Cook for about 7 minutes until squash and shallots have softened. Then stir in the grape tomatoes and corn. Cook for another 5 minutes until tomatoes start to crinkle and soften, stirring intermittently.
- Reduce heat to low and add back in the sausage and stir to combine. Then stir in the chopped basil and crushed red pepper flakes. Mix in the drained pasta, ricotta, and 1/2 cup – 1 cup pasta water depending on your desired thickness of sauce. Stir until ricotta has completely combined with the sauce.
- Serve pasta up in shallow bowls and enjoy!
The Soft Simmer 
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