Summer Squash Pasta Salad

5 from 12 votes

A light and healthy pasta salad with tender zucchini, yellow squash, quick pickled shallots, and parsley tossed in a fresh lemon garlic dressing.

Prep Time10

Cook Time35

Total Time45

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: pasta, salad, side dish

Servings:

Calories: 265kcal

Author: Mikayla M.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups uncooked pasta
2 medium summer squash*
1 large shallot
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 medium lemon
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 large garlic clove
5 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided plus extra for pasta water
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

Bring a pot of well salted water to a boil over high heat.
Combine your vinegar, sugar, and 1 teaspoon of salt in another pan and place over medium high heat.
Slice your shallot into thin strips and place in a jar or heat safe container. When vinegar has come to a boil, pour over the shallots so they're submerged and set aside to cool.
When your water is boiling, add the pasta and stir to prevent clumping. Allow to cook according to package instructions for al dente.
Slice your summer squash into 1/4 inch thick strips. Heat a grill pan (or cook over a charcoal grill, see notes*) to medium high heat.
Brush both sides of your squash slices with 2 tablespoons of oil and season with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper.
Cook squash in a single layer on the hot grill pan for 4 minutes on each side, or until tender. Set aside.
When you're pasta is done cooking, drain and rinse briefly with cool water to stop the cooking process. Lay it out on a baking sheet in a thin layer to allow faster cooling.
Zest and juice you're lemon, and finely mince your garlic. Combine the zest and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice in a bowl with the garlic, a pinch of salt, and the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Whisk to combine.
Chop your summer squash into small cubes and mince your parsley. Drain off the vinegar from the shallots and give a quick chop. Combine it all in a bowl with cooled pasta.
Pour over lemon dressing and stir to combine. Taste and adjust salt or pepper as needed. Chill for at least one hour, up to 3 days, and serve chilled.

Notes

*You can use your preferred summer squash, my favorites are a combination of zucchini and yellow squash.

*Please note that you can cook the squash on a grill pan, in a saute pan, in the oven, or grilled on a barbecue. Simply oil, season, and cook until tender for best results in this pasta salad. See above post for more details.

*I use Morton's kosher salt in all my cooking, please taste and adjust salt based on personal preference and product.

Nutrition