The Barefoot Contessa has done it again. From apple crisp to engagement chicken, pretty much any recipe from Ina Garten guarantees a hit at the dinner table. This “fabulous” pasta is no exception.
After a recent Instagram post quickly garnered more than 115,00 likes, we knew we had to try it. This pasta packed with garden-fresh ingredients sounds like just the thing for our next summer picnic.
What Is Ina Garten’s Summer Garden Pasta?
Like a lot of Ina’s recipes, this pasta is “surprisingly simple,” as she says in her Instagram post. It features marinated cherry tomatoes, basil and Parmesan cheese (plus a few other ingredients), tossed with hot angel hair pasta. I mean, just looking at it makes my stomach rumble.
How to Make Ina Garten’s Summer Garden Pasta
Straight from her cookbook Barefoot Contessa at Home, this summer garden pasta recipe is about as good as it gets. Bonus: It’s a partially make-ahead dish!
Ingredients
4 pints cherry tomatoes, halved
Good olive oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic (6 cloves)
18 large basil leaves, julienned, plus some additional for serving
1 pound dried angel hair pasta
1-1/2 freshly grated Parmesan cheese, with extra for serving
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Step 1: Season the tomatoes
First things first, add your cherry tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, basil, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper to a large bowl (which ideally has a lid). Stir to make sure the tomatoes are evenly coated with the seasonings.
Step 2: Let them marinate
Put the lid on the bowl or cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let the tomatoes marinate for 4 hours at room temperature.
Step 3: Cook your pasta
As mealtime approaches, you’ll need to prepare your pasta. Add dashes of olive oil and salt to a large pot of water, then bring it to a boil. Add the pasta. Once it’s al dente, drain the pasta and pop it in a large serving bowl.
Editor’s Tip: Because it’s so thin, angel hair pasta cooks to al dente in just a few minutes. Keep an eye on it!
Step 4: Toss together and serve
Mix in the cherry tomatoes, then sprinkle with Parmesan and extra basil. That’s it—it’s ready to enjoy!
See? “Surprisingly simple.”
If you want to try out another genius Ina Garten pasta recipe, we recommend her lemon capellini. Or go for these other summer pasta recipes from home cooks like you.
Lemony Shrimp & Snow Pea PastaThis pretty pasta is a family favorite —the kids love the light lemony flavor and I love that they devour the fresh veggies. You can use other types of pasta for variety, like bow ties or corkscrews. —Jennifer Fisher, Austin, Texas
Citrus ScallopsMy husband and I like to eat seafood at least once a week. Oranges and lemon juice give scallops a refreshing burst of flavor. —Cheri Hawthorne, North Canton, Ohio
Bucatini with Sausage & KaleI was short on time but wanted to make an elegant dinner for my husband and me. That night, we ate this simple pasta starring spicy sausage and our homegrown kale. —Angela Lemoine, Howell, New Jersery
Bow Tie & Spinach SaladWith pasta salad, it’s easy to change up ingredients. We like to add grilled chicken and pine nuts, and sometimes we substitute black beans for the garbanzo beans. —Julie Kirkpatrick, Billings, Montana
No-Cook Fresh Tomato SauceTry this sauce at times when you have a box of pasta or a store-bought pizza shell and need a sure-fire topping. Dinner is served. —Julianne Schnuck, Taste of Home Designer
Farmers Market Orzo SaladOrzo is a tiny pasta shaped like rice. We use it as a base for veggies, lemony vinaigrette and cheeses such as mozzarella, feta or smoked Gouda. —Heather Dezzutto, Raleigh, North Carolina
Linguine with Broccoli Rabe & PeppersBroccoli rabe is one of my favorite veggies. Since it cooks right with the pasta, you can multitask. Before you know it, dinner is served. —Gilda Lester, Millsboro, Delaware
Artichoke & Lemon PastaWhile sailing in the Mediterranean, we tasted a lemony artichoke pasta. I developed my own version of it that our guests love. Try it with shrimp and kalamata olives. —Peter Halferty, Corpus Christi, Texas
Garden Vegetable PrimaveraAlthough I enjoy this dish throughout the year, it’s even more special when I use my garden to supply the vegetables. A splash of white wine and a sprinkle of fresh basil really add flavor. I have also roasted the vegetables and mixed in chicken breasts with scrumptious results. —Carly Curtin, Ellicott City, Maryland
Light & Lemony ScampiA touch more lemon helped me trim the calories in our favorite shrimp scampi recipe. For those who want to indulge, pass around the Parmesan. —Ann Sheehy, Lawrence, Massachusetts
Mediterranean Chicken PastaFor special days, I make this cheesy pasta bake loaded with chicken and all sorts of veggies. Want a vegetarian version? Use vegetable stock and garbanzo beans. —Liz Bellville, Havelock, North Carolina
One-Pot Chicken Pesto PastaWhen my garden basil goes nuts, I make pesto and keep it frozen in small containers for the right opportunity, like this saucy one-pot chicken pesto pasta recipe. —Kimberly Fenwick, Hobart, Indiana
Garden Bow Tie SaladOriginally a vegetable dish, I added pasta to this salad for family gatherings and church potlucks. Try adding sliced mushrooms and diced tomatoes before serving. —Barbara Burks, Huntsville, Alabama
Angel Hair PrimaveraI love to make this when summer is in full swing and the vegetables are at their very best. You can substitute almost any vegetable when in season and at my house, this dish is almost never the same. —Tre Balchowsky, Sausalito, California
Asparagus ‘n’ Shrimp with Angel HairWe’ve all heard that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, so when I plan a romantic dinner, this shrimp asparagus pasta with angel hair is one dish I like to serve. It is easy on the budget and turns out perfectly for two. —Shari Neff, Takoma Park, Maryland
Orzo with Peppers & SpinachSweet bell peppers are a good source of vitamin C, which helps the body fight infection and absorb folate and iron. And what bright flavor and color! —Tammi Kettenbach, Jerseyville, Illinois
Avocado & Artichoke Pasta SaladA squeeze of lime, a sprinkle of cilantro and a little avocado make this a creamy and zingy pasta salad. —Carrie Farias, Oak Ridge, New Jersey
Spicy Fresh Seafood CioppinoUsing prepared pasta sauce makes this hearty and hot one-pot dinner a cinch. —Doris Mancini, Port Orchard, Washington
Lemon Chicken PastaMy grandmother made chicken wings and served them over rice. To speed things up, I cook lemony chicken breasts and serve them over capellini pasta. —Aileen Rivera, Bronx, New York
Panzanella PastaWe take classic panzanella ingredients like ripe tomatoes, peppers and olives and toss them with hot noodles for a hearty pasta dish. My kids especially like the crunchy croutons. —Ashley Pierce, Brantford, Ontario
Shrimp Pasta PrimaveraThey say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. So when I invite that special guy to dinner, I like to prepare something equally wonderful. This well-seasoned pasta dish has lots of flavor, and it won’t hurt your budget! —Shari Neff, Takoma Park, Maryland
Summer Garden Pasta with Chicken SausageFor a backyard bash, I do the busy work before the guests arrive so all I have to do is pour beverages, cook pasta and grill up the sausages. —Karie Houghton, Lynnwood, WA
Orzo Vegetable SaladHeading to a potluck and need something to share? Tangy lemon dressing over cool orzo and vegetables is everything you want in a light side dish. —Terri Crandall, Gardnerville, Nevada
Artichoke Chicken PastaHere’s a colorful, delicious chicken dish that’s easy enough for weeknights, yet special enough for guests. Oregano, garlic and a light wine sauce add lovely flavor. —Cathy Dick, Roanoke, Virginia
Parmesan Snap Pea PastaMy family loves pasta! This simple dish is always a hit, especially during the spring when sugar snap peas are the sweetest. To keep us from getting in a rut, I change up the flavors. —Crystal Jo Bruns, Iliff, Colorado
Homemade Antipasto SaladThis colorful antipasto salad is a tasty crowd-pleaser. Guests love the homemade dressing, which is a nice change from bottled Italian. — Linda Harrington, Windham, New Hampshire
Chicken & Tortellini Spinach SaladNot only is this attractive salad easy to make, but it is, delicious, light and filling as well.—Michelle Ashton, St. Johns, Arizona
The post Ina Garten Posted Her Summer Garden Pasta Recipe—and People Are Obsessed appeared first on Taste of Home.
