This summer spaghetti with charred scallions is loaded with summer vegetables and herbs and is perfect for a warm summer night. This summer spaghetti recipe is easy to prepare and tastes like summer on a plate!
For this summer spaghetti recipe, I start by charring roughly chopped scallions. I was actually inspired by MOB Kitchen for the idea. They served their rigatoni with charred scallions and chorizo, but I wanted something a little lighter and more appropriate for summer. I used loads of diced zucchini, fresh, crushed heirloom tomatoes, and lots of basil, both green and purple basil. The sauce for this summer spaghetti with charred scallions is made with a combination of butter, pasta cooking water, and freshly grated parmesan cheese.
How to Summer Spaghetti with Charred Scallions:
To make this summer spaghetti dish, start by bringing a big pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta and stir and then throw three heirloom tomatoes in the boiling water. The tomatoes will be ready well before the pasta is done, so simply scoop them out when their skins split and transfer them to an ice bath. Peel the skins and remove the core and gently crush the tomatoes with your hands.
While the pasta is cooking, prepare the sauce. First, char the chopped scallions in extra virgin olive oil, add zucchini and then add your crushed tomatoes. Melt the butter into the vegetables and season liberally with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper. Add reserved pasta cooking water along with freshly grated parmesan cheese and let it simmer until it’s thickened. Toss the basil and the cooked, drained pasta with the sauce and voila! You’re finished!
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Summer Spaghetti with Charred Scallions
Equipment
- Large pot
- Wide pot or skillet
Ingredients
- 16 ounces spaghetti or linguine 3/4 cup cooking water reserved
- 3 large heirloom tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 6 scallions trimmed and cut into 1'' pieces
- 2 zucchini or yellow squash trimmed and diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup Grated Parmesan cheese plus more, for serving
- 1 bunch basil leaves torn in half
- Salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper to taste
Instructions
Cook the pasta and tomatoes:
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and stir. Once the water begins to boil vigorously again, add the 3 tomatoes and cook for 1-2 minutes until the skins split. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the tomatoes to an ice bath.
- Once the tomatoes are cool enough to handle, remove the skins and core. Crush the tomatoes with your hands and transfer to a bowl until needed.
- Continue cooking the pasta until al dente. Remove 3/4 cup of the pasta cooking water and set aside. Drain the pasta.
Cook the Vegetables:
- While the pasta is cooking, start the sauce. In a wide pot, heat the extra virgin olive oil over medium-high until very hot. Add the scallions and cook without moving for 2-3 minutes until they begin to char. Flip and cook an additional 2 minutes.
- Add the zucchini and cook in an even layer without moving for 4-5 minutes until it begins to char.
- Add the garlic and cook for 45 seconds or until fragrant. Season with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper to taste.
Prepare the Sauce:
- Melt the butter into the pot of vegetables. Once frothy, add the crushed tomatoes and bring to a boil. Cook for 10 minutes until the tomatoes begin to break down and the sauce thickens.
- Add the reserved pasta cooking water and parmesan cheese and bring to a boil. Boil for 5-6 minutes until thickened and reduced. Taste and season again to your preferences.
Finish the Summer Spaghetti:
- Add the basil and the cooked spaghetti to the pot and toss to coat. Turn off the heat.
To Serve:
- Divide the cooked summer spaghetti between shallow bowls and garnish with more basil and parmesan cheese, if desired. Enjoy!
