Creamy Cherry Tomato & Summer Squash Pasta
Simple summer pasta recipe featuring roasted cherry tomatoes, zucchini and yellow squash with rotini and a light goat cheese sauce. Healthy and delicious!
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 30, 2024
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. Itโs been glorious and Iโm 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. Itโs simple to make, plus itโs 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 donโt forget to save some before you drain the pasta. Itโs 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 itโs ok, then I can, too, right?! (If you really want to geek out with me, check out โDoes Adding Pasta Water Really Make a Difference?,โ too. Letโs discuss!)
Watch How to Make Creamy Cherry Tomato & Summer Squash Pasta
Creamy Cherry Tomato & Summer Squash Pasta
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
- ยฝ 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 ยผ-inch wide wedges
- 1 medium zucchini, quartered vertically and then sliced into ยผ-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 ยผ 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 ยฝ 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 itโll 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
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionistโs advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
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This was absolutely delicious. I did the veggies in a skillet, started tomatoes and then added zucchini and squash about 10 minutes later. Didnโt have goat cheese, so used a few dollops of ricotta. The recipe looks so simple, but had so much flavor. Husband said to put it in the rotation
Great idea! Thank you for sharing, Jennifer.
Great year round but stellar with fresh summer garden/farmerโs market vegetables!
My husband is always up for thisโฆyear round. But summer fresh veggies and basil really make this sing.
I usually double this recipe to have lots of leftovers for lunch. Which, doesnโt give me a lot of oven space to roast all the veggies. So, I burst the tomatoes in a Dutch oven ( just like Kateโs Caprese Pasta Salad calls for) and then add the pasta and roasted veggies to that. Donโt forget to add the lemon juice!
Another easy recipe to enjoy this summer.
Thanks, Kate!
Thank you for sharing, Paul! I appreciate your review.
I didnโt love squash or zucchini until I received some from a substitution produce box and went looking for a recipe and came across yours. I am now a fan who makes this dish regularly. The only thing I do differently is add Parmesan rinds (an Italian trick) and mushrooms in with the pasta as it cooks. We eat as is, we eat it with sautรฉed shrimp, we eat it with chickenโฆ it just is all delish!
Hooray! Iโm glad that you love it.
Hi Kate, Iโm planning to make this, but my husband hates tomatoes. I saw another commenter suggesting making a puree with them after roasting? He will eat tomato sauce and tomato based things. Just not tomatoes in their natural form. Do you have any suggestions? Iโm really looking forward to trying this in the next few days!
Hi, I havenโt tried it as another commenter suggested. But, if they seemed to like it that may work. Let me know!
I was trying to figure out an easy (and tasty) way to use my leftover zucchinni and summer squash when stumbled across this recipe- I saw it had goat cheese and I was sold. I cannot get over how creamy and delicious this pasta was! This will definitely be a summer staple for me now. Thanks for sharing!
Youโre welcome, Ellen!
This was such a hit I made it again immediately! So easy and so good! Thank you!
Wow, this was so, so good! RAVE reviews from me and my husband, 1.5 year old happily ate the noodles, we are still working on squash acceptance. Thanks so much!!
Hooray! Iโm glad it was a hit with everyone, Jessica.
So much flavor! Loved by both the adults and the kids in our house.
Thatโs great to hear, Ainslie! Thank you for your review.
Do you think it would be too sweet with honey goat cheese, or would mozzarella work better? This looks great, thank you!
Hi Julia! Iโm not sure about honey goat cheese. Mozzarella can be a little bit stringing or clumpy when melted. Iโm not sure you will get the same result.
It was so so easy and quick to make and absolutely delicious!! I wouldnโt change a thing! This is definitely becoming a regular weeknight dinner! Thank you for another wonderful recipe!!
Youโre welcome, Monica! Thank you for your review.
This was delicious and we gobbled it up. I think the addition of some kalamata olives would give it a nice touch.
Loved it! I did add more salt in the end as you suggested.. What I really like is that I was able to use the tomatoes, squash and zucchini from my partnerโs garden that he had way too much of. Making it a second time this week.
I love that! Thank you for sharing, Anita.
Oh my gosh this recipe is to die for! I cannot believe itโs not more caloric. I cheated and used two ounces of goat cheese instead of 1 ounce and also added fresh spinach at the very end stirred into the dish to make it even a little healthier. Really, really delish!!!
This pasta dish was amazing! I made it this evening with a few changes based on what I had at hand. I added broccoli to the vegetables being roasted as well as sautรฉed some shallots, garlic, and tofu sausage. I didnโt have goat cheese so I used feta and I threw in a splash or two of white wine near the end. So good.
Iโm glad you enjoyed it and added your own touch! Thanks for sharing, Kate.
I used mozzarella bc thatโs what I had, it did not come out as creamy as yours, but was DELICIOUS! The lemon really brightened the flavor and the pinch of red pepper flakes gave it the perfect zing. I will make this again for sure, with goat cheese this time!
Iโm glad you ended up enjoying this pasta, Erin!
Love this recipe, originally found one like it but uses farfelle (bowtie) pasta. It is a great summer meal.
I made this for dinner tonight. Followed the recipe exactly and it was great! My husband isnโt a big fan of squash or zucchini but he loved it too! Your recipes are always amazing! Thank you!
Youโre welcome, Heather! Thank you for your review.
I love this recipe! It is so tasty, easy to make and perfect for the summer. It tastes indulgent but feels light! I love the flavor of the burst cherry tomatoes. I canโt wait to eat the leftovers! Cookie and Kate never disappoints!
Delicious! used only zucchini as that is what I had in my garden.
Great to hear, Barbara! I appreciate your review.
Dangโฆ..that was delish!! I did add some fresh spinach at the time with the cheese to let it heat by the pasta โ but dang- that was wonderful and so easy!
Wonderful to hear, Denice! Thank you for your review.
I love this dish! I used Penne pasta and added more goat cheese but delicious!
Great to hear, Mary! Thank you for your review.
This recipe was included in my CSA email as in this weeks share we received the cherry tomatoes, squash, zucchini and basil and OMG how have I not seen this on your website beforeโฆ.itโs amazing. I made the vegan version and itโs on our list of faves.
Thatโs great to hear, Elizabeth!
I just finished eating this and it was fabulous! I will definitely make it again. I could not find yellow squash so I substituted my favorite โ eggplant, and used some tomatoes from the garden cut into chucks. The juices were still fantastic. Also, I used more cheese because I love the flavor, and paired it with a Portuguese white wine. Yum!
Sounds like a delicious pairing!
delicious pasta saladโ and easy to make โ I made it as written here except used tomato/basil feta cheese because thatโs what I had โ I did burst any tomatoes that werenโt already which i would recommend โ YUM
Iโm glad you love it, Rachael!
Soooo good! Great way to use up garden tomatoes and patty pan squash. Used more veg than called for. Love it
I would love to make this recipe but here in the UK you cannot seem to get yellow squash for some weird reason (I actually didnโt know this until I tried to find some!) does it taste like zucchini? And what can I use instead?
You can use zucchini if you canโt find yellow squash. They are similar.
couldnโt find yellow squash so I substituted with fresh corn, added into the pasta at the very end. Also added a little mint on top of the basil. Very fresh and delicious!
Sounds delicious! Thank you for sharing, Elly.
I, truly, hate deviating from any recipe before making it as written. But, I found this one while looking up โcherry tomato recipesโ (because my garden is out of control) and I just happened to have most of the ingredients on hand.
Before roasting, I halved my tomatoes, tossed them in olive oil, and then threw in a thinly sliced piece of onion (just because I didnโt feel like storing 1/4 onion that I used for making pickled cucumbers)
I substituted lime juice for the lemon juice, garlic butter (from Fatherโs Day fajitas) and added some leftover grated parm (from homemade pizza the day before)
Hands down, one of the BEST dishes Iโve ever made! All three of my kids (who despise tomatoes and onions) asked for seconds. This was sooooooo good and versatile!
Found a yellow zuccinni in our garden, and your recipe today.
Thanks, it is just what I was looking for.
Youโre welcome! Iโm glad you loved it, Larry.
This was so delicious! I left out the red pepper flakes since hubby isnโt a fan, and forgot to add the basil at the end but we loved it! Definitely going to my summer menu rotation!
This is a great recipe for summer! I appreciate your review, Crystal.
This is one of my favorite pasta recipes! I love it. I always use a little more goat cheese. This is a keeper! Thank you.
Youโre welcome, Sharon!
I love this ppasta so much. I really struggle to cook, but made myself make this a few years ago. It is now one of the 5 dishes I make. I just decided I needed to name it because I make it so much. I usually make with parm instead, which you need to grate before you put in otherwise it gets sticky. I always forget to buy basil so I usually dont put it in. The goat cheese version is also bomb. The versatility of different squashes makes this great, as long as you have enough cherry toms. I just made this with eggplant last night, and it was still MAD GOOD. This recipe is BOMB for an easy delicious meal. I prefer it to most pastas I can order at restaurants. THANK YOU FOR FEEDING ME!!!
Iโm glad you loved it, Chai! Thank you for your review.
Made this last night for dinner and it was so tasty!! Did not have goat cheese so I used feta โ was anamazing mix with the lemon! Very simple to make and easy when you toss it all in the oven. I add some italian sausage to the pan as well and that complimented the dish nicely. 10/10 will make again
I love to hear that, Gail! Thank you for your review.
OMG I am an experienced cook and baker. I made this recipe and delivered it to my dentist office today, .
I was so intriqued with your techniques as using the pasta water. I used creamy goat cheese and it was perfect. It was one of the best pasta dish I ever made and ate. So little ingredients but so delicious.
I ordered you cookbook today.
Thank you
I hope you love my cookbook, Lynda! I appreciate your review and support.
Made this recipe w/red, yellow & green peppers. I had made sweet Italian sausage w/onions & tomatoes 2 nites B4& cut the sausage up & roasted them until browned on the same pan as the tomatoes & peppers. I added them & didnโt have any goat cheese, but used feta & creamed cheese along w/the pasta water. Was delish! Love the touch of lemon w/the feta.Great combinations!! Thank you. I will make this for special occasions, also.
I didnโt have goat cheese, so I used cream cheese. And used Campari tomatoes quartered instead of cherry because thatโs what I had. Then added shredded Parmesan cheese. And it turned out great!
This was SO good! Doubled the recipe and used mozzarella instead of goat cheese. Added kidney beans for some more protein for the hubs. Used Jovial brown rice GF fusilli pasta. Will make again!
This was really lovely. I did not have goat cheese so I used a sprinkling of grated Romano and it was fabulous.
Iโm excited you loved it!
WOW! This is so delicious! I have so much squash and zucchini in my garden and came across this recipe when trying to find another way to use them. Iโm so glad I came across it. This will definitely be on repeat at my home.
I love to hear that, Angela!
Going to try this but what are your thoughts on Feta instead of Goat Cheese?
Sure, you can try it. Let me know what you think!
Delicious! I subbed cream cheese for goat cheese because it is what I had. I love roasted tomatoes I cut up whole tomatoes for this I didnt have cherry tomatoes. I also only had one type of summer squash. I see other varieties in the comments that ill have to try too.
Thank you for sharing what you did, Alex!
Love this! Tons of cherry tomatoes from the garden and this is just what I needed!
Great to hear, Julie!
Loved this recipe. I had cherry tomatoes, summer squash and zucchini from my CSA share and this was the perfect way to turn all of that into a delicious dish. Canโt believe the only fat is 2 TBSP of olive oil, so rich and creamy! Thank you for sharing!
Just made the Summer Squash and pasta recipe but found it quite bland. I added Onion powder (would advise roasting onions along with the other vegetables), Garlic salt, and Italian blend spices to yum it up. Made a ton of food, though.
Yummy yummy
I also roasted some garlic with the vegetables
I will make it again
Loved the tip about the concentrated pasta water
Thanks
Very easy, and sooo good. I added additional veg. Used frozen basil cubes since I forgot to buy basil! Was generous with the red pepper flakes.
Love this recipe! I actually made it the first time with cheese tortellini and it was awesome. My mother in law is visiting and loved it. I would like to make a batch and freeze in single servings. Do you this this would freeze well?
The family really likes this. Iโm looking forward to having this in the summer months when the squash is right off the vine. I didnโt have any feta, so I replaced it with Boursin and it worked out well.
Outstanding! Another big hit in my household. I made it as directed except that I didnโt have two squash. It definitely needed the second! I would also add more goat cheese next time. But a great recipe!