Cold pasta with peppers and zucchini is a very summery cold first course, with tasty and Mediterranean flavors. This dish is prepared quickly, just cut the pepper into strips and then into small squares, also dice the zucchini, cut the cherry tomatoes, add the black olives, and you’re done. It is a perfect main course to prepare for a lunch or dinner with friends, maybe to be eaten outdoors, for a lunch on the go, perhaps to bring to work or for a picnic in the mountains or at the sea. If you like cold recipes for the summer, you can also try:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 3 People
- Cooking methods: Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Summer
Ingredients to prepare cold pasta with peppers and zucchini
- 7 oz mezze penne rigate
- 1 yellow pepper (large)
- 1 zucchini
- 3.5 oz cherry tomatoes
- 14 black olives
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt
Tools
- Pan
- Pot
- Knife
- Chopping board
- Colander
- Bowl
Steps to make cold pasta with peppers and zucchini
To prepare cold pasta with peppers and zucchini, first take the pepper, wash it well under running water, remove the white inner parts and seeds, then cut the pepper first into strips, then into small squares. Place them in a pan with some extra virgin olive oil and cook for about 15 minutes. In the meantime, remove the zucchini peel and ends, then cut the zucchini into cubes. After the first 5 minutes of cooking the peppers, also add the zucchini, salt, and let them cook for another 10 minutes. About 15 minutes in total.
Meanwhile, put a pot on the stove with water and coarse salt. As soon as it reaches a boil, cook the pasta for the time indicated on the package, it should be al dente. I chose mezze penne rigate. When the pasta is cooked, drain it and run it under cold running water. Now take a bowl, add the black olives. Wash the cherry tomatoes well, cut them in half or into smaller pieces, add them to the black olives, then add the peppers and zucchini which will have cooled in the meantime, and finally add the pasta. Mix everything well, add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, then taste and, if necessary, add more salt and pepper to taste. Finally, you can add some torn fresh basil leaves.
Your cold pasta is now ready to be enjoyed!
Storage and tips
You can store the cold pasta in the fridge for up to 2 days.
If you want, you can also add some red onion during cooking along with the peppers and zucchini to add more flavor.
