One Pot Summer Pasta

An easy summer recipe made in one pot!  Eat it hot today and eat the left overs cold to take and go on a busy summer day.  Both are delicious!

I was at the pool last week when we took a break from swimming to eat our lunch and while I brought out my boring peanut butter sandwiches for me and the kids, my friend took out a container of some ridiculously amazing looking pasta that then wafted it’s savory scent over to my nose and made me almost drool! I asked her what it was and she told me the leftovers from their dinner the other day.

I thought about that yummy pasta all day {I mean hey, I am pregnant!} so that night I decided that I needed to try to recreate this crazy delicious looking {and smelling} dish.  It was filled with fresh veggies, chunks of fresh mozzarella cheese and by the smell, I knew it was also loaded with yummy garlic and basil!  I was on a mission!

The first fabulous part of this recipe is that you can make the whole thing in one big pot.  The second is that you can serve it hot after it is made as a delicious dinner filled with summer flavors.  Then the next day {or two, maybe three!} you can grab it straight out of the fridge and take it on the run for lunch.  It tastes every bit as good chilled as  it does hot and the combination of the fresh flavors and the cool temperature make it one of the most perfect summer dishes I can imagine!

To begin put on a large pot of water to boil.  Then prep your ingredients by chopping the tomatoes in half, the bell pepper in bite sized chunks, and the mozzarella in bite-sized pieces.  Dice the onion basil leaves finely and mince the garlic.  Take your rotisserie chicken and pull the meat off the bones then separate 2 cups and roughly chop it.

Boil the pasta as directed until it is al dente.  In the last 3- 5 minutes add the peas into the boiling water with the pasta and let them cook together.  Once they are done drain the mixture in a colander.  Place the pot back over medium high heat on the stove and pour in the olive oil.  Add the onion and garlic and let it cook about 1-2 minutes.  Depending on your pasta you might want more olive oil than 1/2 cup as some pasta soaks up the oil more than others.  You can add more at the end if you feel like it needs a bit more.

Once it is cooked, take the pasta and the rest of the veggies you chopped and the salt and stir them into the pot with the oil until the pasta is coated.  Then add the mozzarella chunks, basil, and chicken and stir everything together.  You can also make this vegetarian by leaving out the chicken.

That is all there is to it!  It seems like it makes a ton, but we managed to polish most of it off between us and the two little ones.  I like to package the left overs in individual serving sized containers so that they are ready to grab and go when we have busy summer days filled with activities.  Also, as it sits in the fridge the flavors continue to meld and the pasta soaks up all that flavor.  Don’t tell, but I might even like it better the second or third day! {Scroll to the bottom for a printable recipe!!}

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One Pot Summer Pasta

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Author:Kimber

Print Review Recipe

Ingredients

• 16 oz spiral pasta
• 16 oz frozen green peas thawed
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes
• 1 yellow bell pepper chopped
• 2 cups rotisserie chicken chopped
• 8 oz mozzarella cheese cubed
• 6 cloves garlic minced
• 1/4 red onion
• 20 basil leaves
• 2 tsp salt

Instructions

• Bring a large pot of water to boil and add the pasta.
• While the pasta is cooking prep your tomatoes by cutting them in half, your bell pepper by cutting it into chunks, and by finely dicing the basil and onion.
• Cook the pasta per the package directions and then in the last 3-5 minutes of the cook time add the peas to cook with the pasta.
• Drain the peas and pasta in a colander and immediately return the pot to the burner over medium high heat.
• Add the olive oil garlic and onions to the pan and allow them to cook 1-3 minutes.
• Stir in the pasta and peas.
• Then add in the remaining vegetables and salt. Adding last the chicken, basil, and mozzarella. Turn off the burner and serve hot!

(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.)

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