Are you struggling this morning? Me, too. I caught up with family and friends in Oklahoma this weekend, over campfires and Mexican food and deep-dish pizza. It’s been glorious and I’m struggling to get back into work mode. Only have three and a half more days until next weekend!
I made this light but creamy pasta dish before I left town, and I might just make it again when I get back. It’s simple to make, plus it’s loaded with veggies and tastes much more indulgent than it really is. Burst cherry tomato juices, a little bit of butter and goat cheese, and reserved pasta cooking water form the most delicious of sauces.
That pasta cooking water is magical, so don’t forget to save some before you drain the pasta. It’s full of starch, which lends a fat-free creaminess to the pasta sauce, and helps the sauce stick to the pasta instead of just running off into your bowl.
We cooked the pasta in a relatively small pot, which meant that we got super concentrated cooking water, which I actually recommend. If Serious Eats says it’s ok, then I can, too, right?! (If you really want to geek out with me, check out “Does Adding Pasta Water Really Make a Difference?,” too. Let’s discuss!)
Creamy Cherry Tomato & Summer Squash Pasta
- Author:
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Entree
- Cuisine: Italian
Simple summer pasta recipe featuring roasted cherry tomatoes, zucchini and yellow squash with rotini and a light goat cheese sauce. Recipe yields 4 servings.
Ingredients
- ½ pound whole grain rotini or fusilli or penne pasta
- 1 pint (2 cups) cherry tomatoes
- 2 medium yellow squash, quartered vertically and then sliced into ¼-inch wide wedges
- 1 medium zucchini, quartered vertically and then sliced into ¼-inch wide wedges
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
- 1 ounce goat cheese, crumbled
- 1 small clove garlic, pressed or minced
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup. On the baking sheet, toss the whole cherry tomatoes and sliced zucchini and squash with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and arrange in a single layer (or as close to a single layer as possible). Roast for about 25 minutes, tossing halfway, until the cherry tomatoes have burst and the squash is tender.
- Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to boil and cook the pasta until al dente, according to package directions. Before draining the pasta, reserve about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
- While the pasta is hot, add the lemon juice, butter, goat cheese, garlic and red pepper flakes to the pot. Add about ¼ cup of the reserved pasta cooking water and gently toss the pasta until the ingredients are evenly mixed together and the pasta is coated in a light sauce (add more reserved cooking water if the pasta seems dry).
- Once the tomatoes and squash are out of the oven, add them to the pot along with all of the tomato juices. Gently toss once again to combine. Season to taste with salt (I added more than ½ teaspoon) and freshly ground pepper, then sprinkle chopped basil over the pasta and divide into individual serving bowls. Serve immediately.
Notes
Make it gluten free: Substitute gluten-free pasta for the whole grain pasta.
Make it dairy free/vegan: Substitute olive oil for the butter and skip the goat cheese. The starchy pasta water is pretty creamy in itself, so I think it’ll still be nice and saucy without the goat cheese. You might want to add some nutritional yeast, to taste, for cheesy flavor.
Storage suggestions: This recipe keeps well, refrigerated and covered, for about three days. Serve leftovers as a chilled pasta salad or gently reheat.
▸ Nutrition Information
Vegetable enthusiast. Dog lover. I'm probably making a big mess in my Kansas City kitchen right now. 
Carrie
I made the vegan version and it did end up creamy even without cheese. Loved the roasted veg. Great recipe!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Carrie!
Halle
this was so, so good! I added some broccoli and used more pasta and goat cheese (so I wouldn’t have little bits of both left over), and it all worked out beautifully.
★★★★★
Kate
Great to hear, Halle! Thank you for your review.
Sam
One of my all time favorite summer meals. For maximum deliciousness, highly recommend bursting the tomatoes when you are mixing everything together.
Tonight ended up subbing red bell peppers for the yellow squash since the store was out of squash, and it was so delicious that my husband rated it 11/10. Fun way to change things up!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Sam!
Cathy Joyner
We made it vegan by using Miyokos vegan butter and Follow Your Heart mozzarella shreds instead of goat cheese and it was DELICIOUS!! And gorgeous! We loved the roasted tomatoes and think we will use even more of those next time we make this. Yum!! Thanks!!
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad you loved it, Cathy!
Frances
Made it tonight- it was delicious! Pretty much everything I’ve tried on this site is. We usually keep the recipes vegetarian but did add chicken sausage to this for some extra protein.
★★★★★
Kate
I’m happy you loved it, Frances! Thank you for your review.
Jordan
Excellent dish! I made it with squash & tomatoes (didn’t have zucchini on hand), and used olive oil and nutritional yeast instead of butter and cheese. I’m breastfeeding and our 3mo doesn’t do well with dairy. I was excited to see nutritional yeast as a substitute because I just recently found out that it is good for lactation! Nice bonus!
Will definitely make again.
★★★★★
Kate
Great to hear, Jordan! Thanks for sharing.
alison
“No way could this be creamy and delicious with so few ingredients.” I was so wrong. This was a simple 30 minute dinner that is so perfect I went back for seconds. I’m adding this to my regular meal-prep list. Thanks for the recipe!
★★★★★
Kate
I’m happy you made it anyway, Alison! Thanks for your review.
Sarah
A new go-to for an easy and delicious summer dish. Love the fresh and creamy flavors!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Sarah!
Lin K.
I have made many of your delicious recipes and this is the first time I came away disappointed. The flavor was good but the texture just all seemed too soft and the texture of the burst tomato skins was too irritating. Just found it hard to chew.
I’ll give it another try but this time I’ll leave the squash with some firmness. Not sure about the tomatoes. The flavor is nice but I don’t want the peel. Too fussy to remove I think. Maybe puree them and add to the pasta water??
Kate
I’m sorry you didn’t love this one, Lin. Thank you for your feedback.
Karen
Made this for lunch,all vegetables from garden.Cooked vegetables on stovetop, used regular tomatoes cut up. doubled the sauce and added mushrooms Hubby said ,you could make this again. So it’s a keeper, thank you
Gina
So simple and soooo good. I used cavatappi because that’s what I had on hand. It was delicious. I’m not a huge fan of goat cheese but I used it anyway and now will have to keep buying it just so I can make this again. This is going in my regular rotation for sure.
★★★★★
Laurie
I don’t usually comment on recipes, but this was wonderfully tasty. I added some cooked chicken, that I needed to use and it worked well with this recipe. Many thanks!
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad you did comment, Laurie! Thanks for sharing how much you liked this recipe.
Angie D
This is one of my family’s favorite summer recipes. I’m pretty sure we ate it every week. It is super easy to make, has lots of flavor, and is wonderfully fresh. We added twice the vegetables to use up all the squash we grew. Thank you for a healthy recipe that 3 teenage boys applaud!
★★★★★
Lauren
This is one of my favorite recipes and I make it all the time! I sometimes leave out or sub the cheese and it is still absolutely delicious. All of your recipes I have tried are amazing. Thank you!
★★★★★
Mel
This is requested at least once a month by my SO. Tried the broccoli as suggested by another comment, very nice! Looking forward to trying the vegan version, and not letting on that I skipped the goats cheese. :-)
★★★★
Halle
I’ve commented before, and this is one of my favorite summer recipes. I had some lemons lying around, and thought about this; went to the store, and it being January, the zucchini and tomatoes didn’t look great. So I made it with roasted carrots, red pepper, broccoli, and sauteed kale. So good! I still like the summer veggies best, but this recipe works all year long.
★★★★★
Kate
Thanks for commenting, Halle! I appreciate your review.
MikkiMouse
I added mixed mushrooms to the veggies. I followed the rest of the recipe and it was delicious! The addition of lemon juice was just the right touch for a bit of brightness. Thank you for sharing!
★★★★★
Michelle
This dish is incredible! I used a garlic and herb goat cheese (as it’s all they had at the store), and added sundried tomatoes to the mix! Definitely making this again!
★★★★★
Tara
What other types of cheese would you recommend for this, outside of goat cheese?
Kate
Feta can be a good substitution for goat cheese.
denise
Very tasty! Can’t wait until summer when zucchini and cherry tomatoes are more abundant to make this more frequently.
★★★★★
Shannon
I am not the best cook, but I made this tonight and really enjoyed it! I think I’ll definitely try this one again. My son complained about the garlic being too strong… was I supposed to saute it first or something? Thanks!
★★★★
Kate
Hi! I’m happy you liked it. I’m sorry your son wasn’t a fan. You could use less garlic next time, if you like.
Allison
I have made this a couple of times now, and it is sooooooo good! I can’t stop eating it. Usually I’m a big dessert fan, but with this recipe, I’d rather just keep eating more dinner and skip the dessert! I think I could eat the entire 4 servings all by myself in one sitting. YUM!!!!
★★★★★
Meg
I never leave reviews, but Kate’s recipes are SO GOOD. This one in particular was perfection. I’m so glad I came across this blog!
★★★★★
Carly
Wonderful! I made with chickpea rotini (banza) to up the protein :)
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Carly!
Sara
I only have beefsteak tomatoes on hand – how would you recommend preparing them in place of the cherry tomatoes?
Kate
Hi Sarah! You could try to cut them into smaller chunks, then following the directions. They won’t burst the same, but you may be able to get some of the same juice texture.
Pamela
Our oven broke this week :( any suggestions for making the veggies via the stove top? Thank you!
★★★★★
Kate
Oh no! I can relate as I have been there recently. You could try to do the tomatoes in a pan with oil plus a lid to help them burst. In a separate pan, you could saute your squash. Be mindful of the oil not getting too hot!
Jessica Mayer
DA-YUM! So I’m on a Cookie and Kate recipe binge – I can’t get enough. My two year old loved this. I never knew how good roasted squash is – how versatile it is. I added some toasted pine nuts and chopped up dried cherry tomatoes in the end. Delish, I am grateful!
★★★★★
Kate
I love that, so much! Thank you for sharing, Jessica. I’m glad you are loving all the variations you are coming up with.
Jenn Kandt
I eat mostly plant based… but I love love love goat cheese! So I thought to myself… this better be worth it! :) And boy, it sure was!!!! The boyfriend gave it raving reviews as well.
Might just need to make this next week for my friend’s birthday party. :)
★★★★★
Jacci
This looks delicious! Do I leave the 2 garlic cloves whole or mince them?
Kate
Hi Jacci, thank you so much for bringing that issue to my attention! The clove should be pressed or minced before using. I’ve just corrected the recipe.
Judith
Hi I’m looking forward to making this recipe. It looks great! I was wondering how it is reheated and if you think it would be ok to make ahead and then reheat for dinner. If it is still good reheated, what method do you recommend for reheating? Do you think a crockpot would work? thanks so much
Kate
Hi Judith! I like this one best right away, but it also works just fine gently warmed up – microwave to stovetop. Or, serve chilled. Let me know what you think!
Bri Bell
D A N G
Made this recipe over a year ago and forgot how good it was until I remade it last night. Husband walked in and said “oh I love this stuff” because he remembered it A YEAR AGO. I’m normally not a goat cheese girl but it works!
★★★★★
Karen Marie
Just made this summer pasta for dinner tonight with ripe tomatoes from the garden. Absoluty delicious, flavorful and completely effortless!
★★★★★
Carol
This was fabulous! Used fresh veggies from our garden and added mushrooms. We will make this often!
★★★★★
Barbie
This was so good! I doubled the recipe since I was serving 5 and hoped to have leftovers. Nope. It was completely consumed and I was told I could make it again…preferably tomorrow night. I made one change as the heat index was in the 100’s and we have no air conditioning. I grilled the summer squash/zucchini and tomatoes rather than using the oven. Took about 15-20 minutes. I put the tomatoes on about 5 minutes after the squash. We plan on grilling portobello mushrooms to add next time.
★★★★★
Jessica McManus
Delicious and easy. I didn’t have squash so I doubled the zucchini but I feel like this pasta could be so versatile with add ins. Will definitely make this again. Thank you, Kate!
★★★★★
Nina in CLE
I made this tonight and it was lovely both in taste AND in looks! I followed the recipe exactly (except for the fact that I dislike goat cheese, but had another tangy, crumbly kind of cheese around- FONTINELLA- and used that instead) and because I’m a really ‘slow-cook’-er, I’d prepped the veggies and pre-cooked them yesterday and also had some pretty freshly cooked pasta ready to go (well about 2/3’s of that amount, due to chowing down some for lunch the previous day!), cooked up more to fulfill the amount given in recipe (AND SAVED cooking water as you reminded). It took much less time this way (or maybe the SAME amount of time, but divided over 2 sessions) and it was creamy-tomatoey- pasta-licious!!- I loved the texture and the “feel” of it while eating. A total winner! Only was a tad sorry I didn’t have anyone to share it with: it was that good!
★★★★★
Rita
Very good per my husband! No goat cheese, so I substituted feta. Added mushrooms and red peppers to my roasting pan because they needed to be used. I’m sharing the recipe with my daughters.
Ariel
This was the absolute best thing I’ve cooked all summer. Thanks Kate!
★★★★★
Regina
This was a yummy dish! All of my family including my 5,4 and 2 1/2 old ate it up! Since my kids sometimes have a hard time eating squash and zucchini I chopped the pieces up really small and they didn’t even notice! I will definitely be trying more of your recipes! Thank you very much!
★★★★★
Kim
Made this tonight and it was super delicious! Didn’t want to turn on the oven since it was a hot day, so we sautéed the veg on the stovetop. Also subbed ricotta for the goat cheese because I had some on hand. It was creamy and delicious, and I’ll be making this again soon.
★★★★★
Kate Heilman
This was fabulous! I used a whole pound of fresh pasta to have some leftovers and it was wonderful.
★★★★★
Kate
I love it! Thank you for sharing, Kate.
Christine T Westdyk
Hi Kate!
I made this with leftover roasted vegetables and cherry tomatoes. I didn’t have goat cheese on hand so I used feta. I don’t think there is a better flavor combination than feta and lemon! It is delicious.
As always,
Thank you!
Christine
Helen
This was very tasty!!! I added sun dried tomatoes and will definitely be making again. Love your easy, clean and healthy recipes. Thanks
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Helen! I’m delighted you loved this recipe and have been enjoying others.
Elizabeth
Can you make this with regular tomatoes instead of cherry? It sounds great! Very curious.
Kate
Hi! I would suggest cherry or grape if you can find them. The other tomatoes may not hold up quite as well.
Sue
Delicious and so easy to make
★★★★★
Laura
This is so delicious! I made it with lentil pasta and didn’t have goat cheese so used a little cheddar I had on hand. What a great way to use up some summer produce. So fresh and yummy! And easy!!
★★★★★
Rick
This has been one of my wife and mine’s very favorite recipes since we discovered it more than two years ago. We think we’ve just about perfected it (for our tastes, of course) during that time with the following changes: we use 2-3 oz. of Trader Joe’s goat cheese with honey; and add a Vidalia onion chopped thick, along with 2-3 oz. torn spinach and 1/4 cup of toasted pine nuts. Yum! Thanks so much for this staple in our rotation!
★★★★★
jenny dixon
This is a family favorite! We have often taken this to friends who need a meal, it has been enjoyed by kids and parents alike.We have used different veggies in addition to the tomatoes and found the recipe to be very forgiving.The goat cheese and lemon are magic. Thank you for another wonderful recipe Kate!
★★★★★
Kate
A family favorite, that’s great! Thank you for your review.
Marie
This is such a delicious recipe! It tastes amazing and whipped up very quickly, even got the thumbs up from my non-veg partner. Adding it to my weekly rotation for sure.
★★★★★