Summer Pasta Dinners

Take your pick of the summer's easiest, most satisfying weeknight pasta dishes from Food Network.

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Bucatini with Rose Red Pepper Sauce and Shrimp

This simple, summery pasta dish gets its vibrant flavor from briny shrimp, red bell peppers and a generous addition of rose wine — and just a little heavy cream, for richness.

Get the Recipe: Bucatini with Rose Red Pepper Sauce and Shrimp

Super Summery Corn Gnocchi

Sweet summer produce is the star of this dish, thanks to the creamy corn sauce and herby Fresno topping. We opted to grill the corn and chiles for a touch of smokiness; that also tames the heat of the chiles a bit as opposed to using them raw. Serve with pan-seared store-bought gnocchi for an easy, full-flavored vegetarian meal.

Get the Recipe: Super Summery Corn Gnocchi

Tuscan Chicken Skillet

There's no need to go out to dinner when you can make this restaurant-style chicken and fettuccine at home.

Get the Recipe: Tuscan Chicken Skillet

Summer Pasta with Grilled Eggplant Sauce

Even though the exterior of eggplant is a gorgeous deep purple color; the beauty of this vegetable lies on the inside. This recipe takes advantage of the fact that the flesh of grilled eggplant transforms into a luscious creamy sauce that’s perfect for dressing up little tubes of rigatoni. To make the most of summer’s bounty, cherry tomatoes are grilled alongside the eggplant until bursting with juices, then mixed into this summer vegetable pasta.

Get the Recipe: Summer Pasta with Grilled Eggplant Sauce

Capellini with Tomatoes and Basil

It takes more time to boil the water than to cook this dish. Skinny capellini reaches al dente perfection in a flash.

Get the Recipe: Capellini with Tomatoes and Basil

Garden Pasta with Lemon Ricotta

Ricotta and pasta? Nothing new (albeit always delicious). But add just a teaspoon of lemon zest to ricotta and you'll give the creamy cheese a freshness you'll crave all summer.

Get the Recipe: Garden Pasta with Lemon Ricotta

Tagliatelle with Corn and Cherry Tomatoes

Bring an unconventional pop to pasta by adding corn off the cob to the sauce at the last moment.

Get the Recipe: Tagliatelle with Corn and Cherry Tomatoes

Penne with Shrimp and Herbed Cream Sauce

Shrimp and tomatoes tint this creamy sauce pink, and fresh basil and flat-leaf parsley make it extra aromatic.

Get the Recipe: Penne with Shrimp and Herbed Cream Sauce

Gina's Shrimp Scampi with Angel Hair Pasta

Tender shrimp are cooked quickly (just until they're blush pink) in the skillet before being tossed with garlic, lemon and angel-hair pasta.

Get the Recipe: Gina's Shrimp Scampi with Angel Hair Pasta

Bow-Tie Pasta with Tomato and Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Rich, savory sun-dried tomatoes, plus a shot of balsamic vinegar, bring big flavor to farfalle pasta.

Get the Recipe: Bowtie Pasta with Tomato and Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Bow-Tie Pasta with Broccoli and Potatoes

Farfalle pasta, potatoes and broccoli work together for a filling midweek meal.

Get the Recipe: Bow-Tie Pasta With Broccoli and Potatoes

Spaghetti with Spicy Scallop Marinara Sauce

Poach fresh bay scallops in a homemade tomato sauce spiked with crushed red pepper.

Get the Recipe: Spaghetti With Spicy Scallop Marinara Sauce

Orecchiette with Mixed Greens and Goat Cheese

Cooking for one? Flavorful ingredients like goat cheese and sun-dried tomatoes make for an exciting, perfectly portioned single serving.

Get the Recipe: Orecchiette with Mixed Greens and Goat Cheese

Penne with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

Pulsing jarred sun-dried tomatoes and their oil in a food processor is all it takes for a tangy, flavorful pesto.

Get the Recipe: Penne with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

Turkey Sausage and Broccoli Pasta

Sausage and peppers always make for a good combo, especially when tender broccoli florets are added to the mix.

Get the Recipe: Turkey Sausage and Broccoli Pasta

Chickpea Pasta with Sausage and Escarole

Pasta with chickpeas and greens is a classic dish from the Puglia region of Italy. In our riff with chickpea pasta, we added sausage to complement the earthy flavors of the greens and noodles.

Get the Recipe: Chickpea Pasta with Sausage and Escarole

Fettuccine with Salmon and Snap Peas

Quick-cooking salmon is a natural choice when you want to up the protein in a fast pasta dinner. And when your meal includes in-season snap peas and fresh herbs, you really can't go wrong.

Get the Recipe: Fettuccine with Salmon and Snap Peas

Grilled Summer Vegetable Pasta

Grill bell pepper, yellow squash and zucchini to really elevate the seasonal flavor in this hearty pasta dinner. Use fresh basil and parsley to brighten up a can of tomatoes, and get dinner on the table in only 40 minutes.

Get the Recipe: Grilled Summer Vegetable Pasta

Penne with Grilled Okra and Green Beans

A lemon-panko topping adds a bright, tasty crunch to this easy pasta dinner.

Get the Recipe: Penne with Grilled Okra and Green Beans

Abruzzo Summer Minestrone

This soup combines everything from your garden (or the produce aisle) in late summer: green beans, zucchini, squash, tomato, peppers and basil. And the small pasta shells help give it staying power.

Get the Recipe: Abruzzo Summer Minestrone

Chicken Scaloppini with Artichokes

This Italian favorite is usually much more time-intensive to prepare, but our version puts the entire meal on your table in 15 minutes flat. Boiling water in a skillet rather than a large pot cuts down prep time dramatically and thin angel hair pasta cooks in only a few minutes.

Get the Recipe: 15-Minute Chicken Scaloppini with Artichokes

Lemon-Poppy Seed Fettuccine

Reserve a cup of cooking water after boiling the fettucine — the starchy liquid combines with lemon and Parmesan to make a quick and delicious sauce.

Get the Recipe: Lemon-Poppy Seed Fettuccine

Creamy Lemon-Pepper Orzo with Grilled Chicken

If you love risotto but want something quicker, this simple orzo takes half the time. Rich cheese and cream are replaced by tangy Greek yogurt and goat cheese for equally satisfying creaminess.

Get the Recipe: Creamy Lemon-Pepper Orzo with Grilled Chicken

Pasta Alle Vongole

You don't need to jet off to Italy — or even to your favorite Italian restaurant — to get mouthwatering pasta with clams. Thanks to Valerie Bertinelli's easy recipe, this favorite can be yours any night of the week.

Get the Recipe: Pasta Alle Vongole