Weekend Inspiration: Summer Pasta Recipes

Today, we're starting something new. We spend a lot of time cooking and a lot of time looking for things to cook. So, we decided that each Friday we'd round up some recipes from around the web and share them with you. They're either recipes that have caught our eye that we want to try, or recipes that we've made ourselves and have loved.

We'll keep them relevant and seasonal, so that you can go to your local farmer's market that weekend and try them out. Hope you enjoy! This week for your weekend inspiration, in the case that our fusilli with swiss chard hasn't already made its way into your plans, we bring you exciting and delicious looking summer pasta recipes!

Summer Tomato Pasta Salad from Chef in You:

Does this look delicious or what? Penne, smoked mozzarella, basil, and grape tomatoes. With grape tomatoes and basil nearly at their peak flavor, this is bound to be great.






Linguine with Pea Pesto from Smitten Kitchen:

Sweet peas are starting to find their way to the farmer's market which makes this a very compelling dish. Pesto's are light and flavorful, making this a great summer idea.






Almond and Roasted Tomato Pesto Pasta from Not Eating Out in NY:

This slightly creamy, slightly tomatoey, and almond based pesto sounds amazing, and the photos look great. Although it may be a bit heavy on the calories thanks to the almonds, this may well find it's way to our table this weekend.






Pasta salad with Shrimp, Goat Feta and Basil from The Hungry Mouse:

Those of you keeping track at home know that we love a good pasta and seafood recipe. While this recipe seems to flaunt the Italian tradition that cheese and seafood shall not be combined, it looks divine nonetheless, and we'll certainly be trying it soon.






Sundried Tomato & Artichoke Pesto from Two Blue Lemons:

You'll notice the trend here - pesto is great for the summer. It's quick, easy, and requires very little cooking or heat. This combination of sundried tomato and artichoke is sure to be delicious.







Grilled chicken with lemon basil pasta from The Pioneer Woman:

What would a summer pasta list be without a recipe that uses the grill? The creamy base and combination of lemon and basil sound delicious.






And if none of these recipes suit your fancy, you can always try one of ours!

Shepherd's Pasta from Herbie Likes Spaghetti:

Although it's not a pesto, the notion is the same - very little cooking or heat are required to make this dish, and the ricotta gives it a nice coolness that will be refreshing on a hot summer day!






Know of a great summer pasta dish that we missed? Let us know in the comments below!