Easy, Creamy, One-Pot End-of-Summer Pasta

By Nancy Eisman
The only thing better than fresh produce at summer’s end is a one-pot, stove-top recipe that features four seasonal favorites. This bounty of garden-fresh goodness is bound to fulfill your fondest dinner dreams.

At the peak of freshness and packed with nutrients, this one-pot plethora of produce will definitely reach your best-of-summer flavor goals. First up is my personal favorite: heirloom tomatoes, which offer a wide spectrum of colors and nuanced flavors. Next, we have sweet summer corn on the cob, crunchy and the color of sunshine. Also included are some roasted Hatch peppers to really make this dish a best-of-the-season celebration. And it wouldn’t be a quintessential summer recipe if we didn’t use some zucchini from this year’s bumper crop.

Combine these stellar ingredients with dried fusilli pasta, fresh garlic, Italian herbs, creamy plant-based milk and shredded cheese, fresh basil and toasted pine nuts for a sure-to-be-new end-of-summer classic.

Creamy One-Pot End-of-Summer Pasta
Ingredients
1 package (16 oz.) dried fusilli pasta
3 cups heirloom tomatoes, diced medium
1 cup sweet corn, off the cob
¾ cup roasted Hatch peppers, diced small
2 cups organic zucchini, diced medium
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 ½ tablespoons dried Italian herbs
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 ½ cups oat milk, unsweetened (extra creamy works best)
4 vegetable bouillon cubes
2 cups plant-based mozzarella, shredded
1 teaspoon black pepper
¾ cup fresh basil, chopped (plus extra for garnish)
½ cup pine nuts, toasted (plus extra for garnish)

Preparation
Combine the dried fusilli, tomatoes, corn, Hatch peppers, zucchini, garlic, dried herbs, olive oil, and bouillon cubes in a large pot. Pour in the oat-milk and stir until everything is combined and covered with the milk.
Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally to keep anything from sticking to the pot.
Continue cooking for 8-10 minutes until the pasta is al dente and the sauce has thickened.
Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the black pepper and the shredded cheese until the cheese melts and coats the pasta. Add in the chopped fresh basil and toasted pine nuts and toss to combine. Garnish with additional basil and pine nuts.