Summer Skillet Pasta
by Chungah
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This summer pasta bake is a seasonal favorite, using up all the summertime vegetables with smoky andouille sausage for a quick skillet dinner!
Featured Comment
IT IS SUMMERTIME! The sun is shining, the state fair is open, ice cream and watermelon are being consumed left and right, and now we have this. This, a thing of beauty.
why you’ll love this summer pasta bake
- Repurposes summer vegetables. This is the perfect opportunity to use up all of the summer veggies and produce – zucchini, yellow squash, bell peppers, corn, basil – you name it.
- Kid-friendly dinner for picky eaters. Even the pickiest of eaters will love this, sneaking in all the hearty veggies for a wholesome dinner.
- Perfect for entertaining. And of course, this summer skillet makes for a lovely summer night of entertaining or for weekend company – it’s easy to assemble, feeds a ton of people, and can be made ahead of time.
- Makes for excellent leftovers. The leftovers taste even better the very next day, really letting the flavors of the sausage, vegetables, and sauce meld together overnight.
- Freezer meal. This recipe freezes and reheats like a dream, keeping in the freezer for up to 2 months, excellent for meal prep!
What is a summer skillet pasta?
This is essentially an easy pasta bake, a family-friendly dish using up the bounty of summer veggies with smoky andouille sausage, a hearty tomato sauce, and a bubbly layer of melted mozzarella cheese.
How to make summer pasta bake
- Boil the pasta. Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente. Drain well and set aside.
- Sauté the vegetables. First cook the zucchini and squash until tender in a large cast iron skillet, setting aside. Then cook the sausage, bell pepper, and onion until tender, stirring in the aromatics until fragrant.
- Build the sauce. Stir in the diced tomatoes and season with salt and pepper, to taste, simmering until thickened, about 10 minutes.
- Combine everything. Stir in the cooked pasta, zucchini, squash, and fresh basil. Then sprinkle the cheese on top in an even layer.
- Bake and melt. Place the skillet into the oven and bake until the cheese is melted, golden brown and bubbling, about 15 minutes. If the skillet is not oven-safe, transfer to a greased baking dish, then bake as directed.
- Serve. Let the pasta bake stand for 10 minutes (to ensure it holds its shape) before serving.
pro tip
Cook the pasta just shy of al dente.
This will prevent the pasta from getting mushy in the oven.
Variations and substitutions
- Pasta: rigatoni or ziti
- Protein: crumbled Italian sausage, ground beef, ground chicken, or ground turkey
- Vegetables: mushrooms, eggplant, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, or kale
- Cheese: monterey jack, provolone, gouda, or fontina
More summertime recipes
Tools For This Recipe
Large cast iron skillet
Summer Skillet Pasta: Frequently Asked Questions
Use a sturdy, textured pasta shape such as penne, rigatoni or ziti, perfect for trapping sauce and cheese.
Yes, but boil the pasta 1-2 minutes before it reaches al dente, slightly undercooking it. This will prevent the pasta from becoming mushy as it will continue to cook in the oven.
Absolutely! But because dried herbs are often more potent and concentrated than fresh herbs, you need less when using dry. For example, 1 teaspoon dried basil = 1 tablespoon fresh basil.
Skip the andouille sausage and increase the amount of the other vegetables.
Some white wine, garlic parmesan knots, roasted potatoes (for something extra starchy), or my favorite Italian chopped salad are all excellent accompaniments.
Yes! Assemble the unbaked pasta mixture, cover tightly with plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to 48 hours.
Yes, but freeze before baking. Assemble the unbaked pasta bake in a freezer-safe dish, cover tightly with plastic wrap, then aluminum foil. Label, date, and freeze up to 2 months. To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge, remove the plastic wrap and bake as directed, adding a few more minutes of cook time as needed.
Summer Skillet Pasta
Video
Ingredients
- 8 ounces penne, rigatoni, or ziti
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 zucchini, sliced
- 1 large yellow squash, sliced
- 6 ounces andouille sausage, sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- ½ sweet onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ¼ teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh basil leaves
- 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente; drain well.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Working in batches, add zucchini and squash, and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 3-4 minutes; set aside.
- Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet. Stir in sausage, bell pepper and onion until golden, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in garlic and Italian seasoning until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Stir in diced tomatoes. Reduce heat and simmer until slightly thickened, about 7-10 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Stir in pasta, zucchini, squash and basil until well combined; sprinkle with cheese.
- Place into oven and bake until bubbly and golden brown, about 15 minutes.
- Serve immediately.
Equipment
Notes
- Slightly undercook the pasta. This is the secret to avoid mushy, limp noodles. As a general rule, cook the pasta 1-2 minutes less than the package instructions for al dente.
- Use a cast iron skillet. Cast iron skillets are oven-safe and have excellent heat retention, allowing for a seamless transition from the stovetop to the oven.
- Sauté the vegetables first. Never add raw vegetables directly to the pasta bake. Always pre-cook the vegetables first before assembling the dish for maximum flavor.
- Freshly grated cheese goes a long way. Avoid pre-shredded cheese as they contain anti-caking agents that hinder their ability to melt properly.
- Broil for 1-2 minutes (optional). Switch the oven to broil for 1-2 minutes to achieve that perfect golden-brown crust on top.
- Let it stand for 10 minutes. Allowing the pasta bake to rest for at least 10 minutes will ensure that the pasta mixture will hold up its shape upon serving.
- Freeze before baking. This will preserve the texture, preventing the noodles from becoming mushy and the sauce from breaking. This also allows everything to cook together perfectly during the final bake.
Did you make this recipe?
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I did not drain the tomatoes because it didn’t specify “drained”, and it was pretty “saucy”. Should I have drained them?
The andouille sausage really makes this dish. I’ll definitely make it again. Thanks for sharing.
I made this last night with garden fresh zucchini and squash. I added extra peppers and used a whole onion and it was absolutely delicious! Both my son and husband said I can make this again and again!!
Super easy to make & very delicious! I think artichoke hearts would be a good addition. I can see this adapted for winter with butternut squash. Very versatile recipe.
I have tried several of your receipes. This is by far the best one so far. I made this twice in a week; one time was for a summer bbq. Thank you!!!
I don’t like andouille but I love this with smoked kielbasa
Thanks for the summer garden haul inspiration! Love all of your recipes.
Just made it for lunch – so so good!!! Made it with the exact recipe’s ingredients. The only thing different was that I followed the suggestion of another reviewer and cut the sausage pieces in half. Great idea as the sausage is spread more throughout the dish. This recipe is a keeper!!!
Good morning Chunguh –
This look Great and I want to try it. Is it possible to make it earlier in the day and then just put it in the oven before for those 15 minutes before serving at dinner time?
Thanks for your info
Great recipe. The only thing I did different was to add some chopped celery, and carrot. Just couldn’t get my mind around making an Italian tomato dish, without starting with Soffritto.
Can you PLEASE tell me if the andouille sausage is raw or is it fully cooked and what section of the grocery store did you find it? Thank you. We love your recipes.
Please look for andouille sausage that is fully cooked (this will be labeled on the packaging). These can typically be found in the refrigerated section of your local grocery store.
Is there a reason you do not post the nutritional info at the end of the recipe? I love so many of the dishes you post, but my husband has heart issues and I need to monitor.
Hi Kitty! As we are not registered dietitians, we feel that it is not appropriate to provide nutritional information at this time. We recommend using free online resources at your discretion (for example, you can Google “nutritional calculator”). We hope that helps!
Cronometer is an excellent app that lets you import online recipes and it calculates the nutrition info for you. Really good when you are watching macros, calories and micros! There is a free version and a paid version that is pretty cheap.
Since I made all my pastas in the insta pot I can’t boil water and hope for the best. So I sautéed the sausage n onion, then zucchini in the insta pot. Put in the rest of ingredients except for cheese. I put in 5 cups of broth to make sure it’s enough for pasta ( usually besides sauces I use 3 cups water to a pound of pasta). Laid a lb of small shells on top and pushed them under liquid. Pressured 4 minutes and quick released Came out perfect. Sprinkled with cheese.
I don’t like andouille but I love this with smoked kielbasa
Absolutely delicious!
My husband likes meals that are healthy and have lots of vegetables, but are also filling and have meat. This fit the bill perfectly! It is flavorful and filling without being heavy. The only changes I made were cutting the sausage slices in half and broiling it for 2 minutes after baking to brown the cheese. This is definitely a summertime favorite in our household!
Made this this weekend for my husband’s lunches. Overall, it was really good. I double the recipe and used chickpea pasta instead of Semolina pasta. I put a review up here recently, but it doesn’t seem like administration. Wanted it to be posted for some reason. In my case, when I put this in the oven to bake the cheese to a golden brown, it never baked to a golden brown at 350° for at least 15 minutes. Instead, the cheese just clumped up all over the recipe so I added some marinara sauce to give it more sauce, then the recipe provided. What did I do wrong?
Made this last night to bring to my weekly board game night with the boys. I doubled the sausage and the bell pepper. It was so good everyone had seconds, and this crowd is known for -not- eating their vegetables!
3 for 3 of your recipes being a hit, and I bookmarked several more I want to try.
Second time making this delicious dinner. My husband and I loved everything about it. I’m a sucker for zucchini and yellow squash and is a great recipe utilizing both. It’s colorful and wonderful Summer dish, I’ll make again and again!
I love pasta, and a pasta dish that manages to be cheesy, flavorful, and delicious without making you go into a food coma is a rare find. Ladies and gentlemen, THIS is that pasta! Even after having seconds (my husband had thirds), I didn’t feel heavy or sleepy. I love that the bulk of this is veggies! I highly recommend this. Now I’m off to creep on your other recipes…
Super easy and delicious! I used fresh tomatoes instead of diced and omitted the sausage—it was great!