Rigatoni Is The Perfect Weekday Meal

Pasta in a cast iron pan shot on rustic wooden table

During the week, it seems like everything and everyone is busy. So preparing a meal sometimes feels like a challenging task when there doesn’t seem to be enough time to go around. Moreover, finding a meal that everyone in the house likes can be tricky. If you’re searching for your go-to weekday meal, try this amazing rigatoni recipe from the Pioneer Woman that will surely please everyone.

Ingredients for Rigatoni With Summer Vegetables

To make this light yet filling pasta meal, you’ll need:

  • 1 pound of rigatoni
  • Kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons of salted butter
  • 4 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 2 summer (yellow) squash, cut lengthwise and sliced thinly
  • Cut Kernels from three ears of freshly cooked corn
  • 8 ounces of sugar snap peas, trimmed and halved
  • 1 lemon, zested and juiced
  • 8 ounces of bocconcini (small mozzarella bites), halved or quartered
  • 1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese, plus a little more to sprinkle on top
  • 1/4 cup of chopped, fresh dill

How to Make Rigatoni With Summer Vegetables

Salt a large pot of water and bring it to a boil. Add the pasta you chose and cook according to the label directions until it is al dente. While your pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a large pan with the olive oil on medium heat. Then add the squash, tossing to coat each piece, and cook for about three minutes when the squash is almost tender.

Next, add the garlic and corn kernels and cook for another two to three minutes, tossing the veggies often. Take about 3/4 cup of the pasta cooking water and add it to the pan along with the lemon juice and zest. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer for another two to three minutes.

Add the sugar snap peas to the boiling water about two minutes before the pasta finishes. They will cook while the pasta finishes cooking. Then drain both, and add them to the skillet with the squash and corn. Salt and pepper the mixture to taste, and toss to coat your pasta evenly.

Finally, take the pasta mixture off the heat. Add the bocconcini and toss, then sprinkle parmesan and dill and toss again. Divide the pasta into servings, and sprinkle each with the remaining parmesan.

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Make This Rigatoni Your Own

You can stick to every part of this recipe or modify it to fit your taste. For example, you might opt for a gluten-free rigatoni. Remember that gluten-free pasta often cooks faster than regular pasta. Another way to make this pasta your own is to change the summer vegetables. You might prefer zucchini to summer squash. Finally, try experimenting with asiago cheese instead of parmesan or shredded basil instead of fresh dill. And remember that the ingredients in this recipe adapt well to many pasta shapes, so don’t be afraid to use what you have on hand if you can’t get a hold of rigatoni.

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