Description
A bright and fresh summer pasta dish featuring tender cavatelli combined with sweet corn, juicy cherry tomatoes, zucchini, and a savory homemade marinara sauce. This quick and colorful recipe is garnished with fresh basil and Pecorino Romano cheese, perfect for a light yet satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 1 pound fresh or frozen cavatelli
Vegetables
- 2 ears corn, kernels cut from the cob
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 1 1/2 cups diced zucchini
- 2 cloves garlic, sliced
Other
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, for garnish
- 3 teaspoons olive oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- Black pepper, to taste
- 3/4 cup homemade marinara sauce
- 6 tablespoons grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for serving
Instructions
- Boil Water and Sauté Garlic: Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Meanwhile, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic cloves and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute, being careful not to burn them.
- Cook Vegetables: Add the quartered cherry tomatoes and 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the skillet. Cook for 3 minutes until tomatoes begin to soften. Then add the corn kernels and diced zucchini, cooking for an additional 2-3 minutes until the vegetables are tender-crisp.
- Add Marinara: Stir in the homemade marinara sauce. Season the mixture with salt and black pepper to taste, then cook until heated through, about 1 minute.
- Cook Pasta: While the vegetables and sauce are cooking, prepare the cavatelli according to package directions in the boiling salted water. Reserve some pasta water before draining the pasta.
- Combine and Serve: Toss the drained cavatelli with the marinara and vegetable mixture in the skillet. Add the grated Pecorino Romano cheese, the remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Cook together for 1 minute, adding reserved pasta water gradually as needed to reach the desired consistency. Serve immediately, garnished with fresh basil leaves and additional Pecorino Romano cheese if desired.
Notes
- Use fresh or frozen cavatelli depending on availability.
- If homemade marinara isn’t available, a good-quality store-bought marinara sauce works well.
- Reserve pasta water to adjust sauce consistency for a silky finish.
- Can be served warm or at room temperature.
- To make it vegetarian, ensure marinara sauce does not contain meat-based ingredients.
- Prep Time: 8 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
