10 Light and Fresh Veggie Pasta Dishes for Summer

Pasta is often considered heavy comfort food, since it is so filling and can come with chunky, creamy and fatty sauces. But for the summer season, heaviness is not what we’re looking for. Thankfully, pasta dishes go far beyond some white pasta and a jar of marinara or some creamy, dairy-based sauce. You don’t even have to use whole wheat or semolina pasta every time, but can get creative making noodles out of zucchini, carrots and beets, all of which make for lighter and healthier dishes. Here are 10 Light and Fresh Pasta Dishes for Summer.

1. Gluten Free Zucchini Pesto Pasta

This recipe calls for using basil to make the pesto, but feel free to substitute any local organic herbs (cilantro, parsley) or leafy green (spinach, arugula) instead. To make this easy sauce, add all ingredients in a blender or small food processor, and puree until smooth.

2. Sofrito Zucchini Pasta With Beans and Lightly Fried Plantains

Unlike a traditional Italian tomato sauce, sofrito is made of yellow onions and red and green peppers. This recipe also includes the sweetness of plantains and protein from beans.

3. Quinoa and Sweet Potato Noodle Bolognese With Toasted Crushed Almonds

This pasta dish is light enough since the noodles are made from sweet potatoes, but it’s still hearty enough to give you that satisfied, full feeling thanks to protein-rich quinoa.

4. Spaghetti Squash With Basil and Creamy Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce

Alfredo sauce can be heavy, but by substituting the dairy for cauliflower, you’ll get a creamy sauce that is light enough for a summer meal. Since its insides are unlike other vegetables, spaghetti squash is pretty fun to work with!

5. Green Tea Soba Noodles With Roasted Vegetables and Herbs

Soba noodles are made from buckwheat, and you can find green tea soba noodles at the grocery store for this recipe. Roast veggies like beets, mushrooms, cloves and onion; you can also add in some summer seasonal veggies as well.

6. Raw Zucchini Pasta With Creamy Avocado-Cucumber Sauce

The combination of avocado and cucumber is so refreshing and perfect for these warm summer months. You will also need basil, lemon, garlic, white pepper and black pepper for the sauce.

7. Raw Lasagna With Cilantro Pesto, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, and Marinated Veggies

This dish looks beautiful and is full of tons of amazing produce items. Best of all, there’s no cooking involved so you don’t have to heat up your kitchen.

8. Pasta With Fresh Tomato Sauce

For a simple summer pasta dish, make a simple summer tomato sauce using ripe, organic tomatoes and fresh basil.

9. Carrot Beet Angel Hair Pasta with Spicy Pine Nut and Pistachio Pesto

Use a spiralizer to make carrot and beet noodles. The rest is super easy; place pesto ingredients in a food processor and voila, you have a fresh, summer pesto sauce.

10. Roasted Pepper Zucchini Pasta

For this dish, roast your cherry tomatoes and red peppers in the oven for thirty minutes. Roasting really helps to bring out the flavors of the veggies.

Lead image source: Spaghetti Squash With Basil and Creamy Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce