Mediterranean Pasta with Summer Vegetables

About this recipe

Bright, healthy, and ready in minutes, this Mediterranean pasta with summer vegetables is the ultimate easy vegetarian weeknight dinner packed with fresh flavors.

↓ Jump to Recipe

Be the first to review

This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy

‍

Watch the recipe

Healthy Mediterranean Style Pasta with Summer Veggies Recipe

This recipe is one of my tried and true recipes. I love this pasta dish for a quick go-to lunch. It’s a pasta dish that emphasizes fresh ingredients for an easy and healthy meal.

I love this pasta dish because it uses most ingredients that are already in my kitchen! Actually, this pasta came to be because I was trying to empty out the fridge, and the results were amazing! When you’re really hungry for lunch, you just want to get food out as quickly as you can, but still have an amazing flavor combination.

Well, this Mediterranean pasta does exactly that!

I made this recipe as part of my Cooking Basics & Essentials series on YouTube. This recipe is friendly for cooks at any level to prepare! Be sure to scroll to the end of this post to see the FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE as well as the detailed video to see how I make it

Fresh, Nutritious Ingredients

You won’t need much to make this recipe. Every ingredient works together to make a wholesome, satisfying pasta dish.

Garlic. Minced garlic will add fragrance to the dish.
Cherry tomatoes. Always a must for me! I love cherry tomatoes. They’re so juicy, and as they cook down, they’ll release their juices to create the “sauce” of this pasta.
Red chili flakes. To add a bit of heat to the dish.
Onions. I really couldn’t live without onions! In this dish, they caramelize as they cook, and they balance out the sweetness with the cherry tomatoes and add lots of flavors!
Zucchini. This is a summer veggie and is used in a lot of Mediterranean recipes. Also, the green really makes the dish pop!
Extra virgin olive oil. Don’t skimp out on this key ingredient! Olive oil is essential to Mediterranean cooking. It’s full of heart healthy fats and adds so much flavor to your veggies.
Parmesan cheese. A final sprinkling of Parmesan cheese to top the pasta really adds a nice nuttiness to the dish. Yum!
Salt and pepper. To taste
Bowties. Even though I’m using white pasta because - sorry, I just don’t like whole wheat at all! - there are nutritional benefits. It’s high in fiber and protein. I’m using bowties here because they’re just so much fun! But I also find that because we don’t have a thick sauce here, this pasta shape absorbs the flavors well. If you aren’t using bowties, I would recommend penne rigate - not lisce (without the ridges) - so that the ridges absorb the flavors. Without the ridges, the juices from the veggies could slip and slide! Another great shape would also be rotini. But to go with the summer theme, I find these bowties resemble butterflies flying! For another fun bowtie recipe, check out my Pesto Pasta with Grilled Chicken and Peas.

This recipe proves that a delicious pasta dish doesn’t need a long list of ingredients nor should it take long to make! To be honest, I have a hard time thinking of healthy vegetarian meals to make when I cook for my family. But I made this for them when I visited Delhi once and it was such a hit! Vibrant, colorful, and healthy, this Mediterranean pasta will become a go-to on your menu!

How to Make Mediterranean Style Pasta with Summer Veggies

This recipe is really quick to make, perfect for weeknights!

Begin by tossing the diced zucchini into a large colander.

Diced zucchini pieces in a metal colander, prepared for salting in a Mediterranean pasta recipe.

Place the colander over a bowl or plate.

Diced zucchini slices in a metal colander ready for salting to remove excess moisture.

Then, generously add salt and mix well.

Diced zucchini pieces in a metal colander being salted, draining excess water.

Wooden spoon holding salt over a white bowl filled with pink salt for seasoning zucchini.

Let the zucchini sit in the colander for 20-25 minutes. The salt will help release excess water from the zucchini, helping to get a sear while cooking.

Sliced zucchini pieces glistening with moisture in a dark skillet after salting and draining.

Sliced zucchini pieces glistening with moisture in a metal colander after salting.

After, transfer the zucchini onto a paper towel and pat dry.

Sliced zucchini arranged on paper towels after being patted dry, ready for cooking.

Sliced zucchini pieces laid out on paper towels after salting and draining.

Bring water up to a boil. Season with salt and add your pasta. Cook as per package directions until al dente. Reserve about 1/4 cup pasta water.

Boiling water with pasta in a stainless steel pot on the stovetop.

Pasta boiling in salted water with bubbles rising to the surface.

In the meanwhile, heat a pan on medium heat with half of the olive oil. Add the zucchini to the pan.

Sliced zucchini searing in a stainless steel pan with golden-brown edges.

Zucchini slices searing in olive oil in a pan until golden brown.

Sear for 5-10 minutes or until the zucchini pieces are golden brown. Be sure not to let the zucchini get too brown.

Zucchini slices searing in a pan with golden brown spots on the flesh.

Zucchini slices searing in a stainless steel pan with olive oil, showing golden-brown edges.

When the zucchini has cooked, use a slotted spoon and remove the sauteed zucchini from the pan. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Sliced zucchini pieces sautéed golden brown in a stainless steel pan with a slotted spoon nearby.

Slotted spoon lifting golden-brown sautéed zucchini pieces from a pan of oil.

In the same pan, add the remaining olive oil, chili flakes, garlic and onions.

Diced onions and garlic cooking with chili flakes in olive oil in a stainless steel pan.

Season with salt and cook for 3-4 minutes.

Diced onions and garlic cooking in olive oil with red chili flakes in a stainless steel pan.

Return the zucchini back to the pan and add the cherry tomatoes.

Sautéed zucchini, cherry tomatoes, and diced onions in a stainless steel pan with black pepper seasoning.

Cook for 2-3 more minutes.

Sautéed zucchini slices, cherry tomatoes, and diced onions cooking in a stainless steel pan with seasonings.

Sautéed zucchini, cherry tomatoes, and onions in a skillet with charred edges and seasoning.

Add the pasta to the pan, allowing for some pasta water to drip into the pan.

Bow tie pasta mixed with roasted red peppers and zucchini in a stainless steel pan, ready to be tossed with cheese.

Mix well and add freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Bow-tie pasta with red peppers and zucchini topped with grated Parmesan cheese in a skillet.

If the pasta looks too dry, add a splash of pasta water and mix well.

Top with freshly chopped basil.

Mediterranean pasta with bow-tie noodles, sautéed zucchini, red bell peppers, and fresh basil in a skillet.

Transfer to a plate and add the shaved Parmesan cheese. Serve hot and enjoy!

Mediterranean pasta salad with bow-tie pasta, grilled zucchini, red peppers, shaved Parmesan, and fresh basil on a white plate.

I would appreciate you subscribe to the YouTube channel if you haven’t already! I’m trying to get many of these recipes in video format to make following along super easy - my goal is always to help you out on your cooking journey! Your support and feedback truly means a lot to me!

Okay, let’s get our healthy veggies out and start cooking!

Easy Variations & Add-Ins

One of the things I love about this Mediterranean pasta is how flexible it is. Make it your own:

Toss in canned artichoke hearts or Kalamata olives for a briny pop.
Crumble salty feta over the top in place of the Parmesan to lean it even more Mediterranean.
Swap the bowties for spaghetti or any pasta shape you have.
Add roasted red peppers, fresh spinach, or a squeeze of lemon at the end.

For even more Mediterranean flavour, stir in a few chopped sun-dried tomatoes or a handful of chickpeas.

Tips for the Best Mediterranean Pasta

A couple of small steps make this dish shine:

Salt and drain the zucchini first — it pulls out excess water so the pieces sear golden instead of steaming.
Add the pasta while it’s still a touch underdone and finish it in the pan with a splash of pasta water, so the noodles drink up all those tomato and garlic juices.
Finish with freshly grated Parmesan and a handful of torn basil for the best flavor.

Frequently Asked Questions

What pasta works best for this dish?▼

I use about 8 ounces of farfalle (bowtie) pasta, but rotini works really well too — both have nooks and ridges that catch the tomatoes and Parmesan. Cook it to al dente, roughly 7 to 8 minutes.

Is this pasta vegetarian?▼

Yes — it's all summer vegetables (zucchini, cherry tomatoes, onion and garlic) tossed with olive oil and Parmesan, so it's fully vegetarian as written.

How do I keep the pasta from drying out?▼

Reserve about a quarter cup of the starchy pasta water before draining. When you toss everything together, let a little of that water drip into the pan — it loosens everything into a light, glossy coating. Add another splash if it looks dry.

Should I cook the zucchini with the other vegetables?▼

No — sear the zucchini on its own first until golden, then lift it out and cook the garlic and onion. Add the zucchini back with the tomatoes near the end. That keeps it golden and tender instead of mushy and waterlogged.

Storing Leftover Mediterranean Pasta

This pasta is delicious warm, but it also keeps well. Let any leftovers cool, then store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days — it makes a great make-ahead lunch for a busy weeknight, and the flavours deepen as it sits. To reheat, warm it gently in a pan with a splash of water or olive oil to loosen it back up, or use the microwave in short bursts, stirring between each. Refresh it with a little extra Parmesan and some fresh herbs like basil or parsley just before serving.

Let me know what you think of this recipe in the comments! If you’ve tried this recipe, be sure to post it on social media and tag it with #cookingwithanadi and mention me @cooking.with.anadi. Thank you!

Recipe by Anadi Misra