Summer Spaghetti

I love making this recipe every summer! It’s the perfect blend of summer flavors.  When our garden tomatoes start coming in, I always put this on the menu; and it’s always even better if we’ve just been to our local farm to pick fresh sweet corn! The fresh tomatoes from the garden produce lots of great juices, which form a sauce as the tomatoes and spices marinate in the fridge throughout the day. The fresh garden herbs also add such great flavor. It is one of my favorite things to be able to go out to my backyard and pick tomatoes, basil, and parsley and add it all to our dinner! When I made this last week my son was so excited to see it! I only make it in the summer because the flavor just can’t be duplicated with winter produce, so it’s always a treat when we can break it out! The other great thing is that so much can be done ahead. I mixed up the tomatoes before we headed to the pool for the day, then when we got home and were all tired after a fun day, all I had to do was boil the pasta, add the corn at the end of the boiling time, and toss it all together. The perfect summer meal!

Summer Spaghetti

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Course Main Course

Ingredients

  

• 1 lb ripe plum or slicing tomatoes (about 5-6) Cherry tomatoes do not work quite as well for this as they don't produce as much liquid.
• 1/2 large Vidalia onion diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1/3 cup fresh parsley chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh basil chopped
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 T. red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 lb uncooked spaghetti
• 2 cup frozen corn (or 2-3 ears of corn removed from the cob)

Instructions

 

• In a bowl combine tomatoes, onions, garlic, parsley, basil, paprika and oregano. Toss well.  Drizzle vinegar over the mixture, then pour oil over top and toss well. Stir until thoroughly mixed. Refrigerate the mixture, covered for 6-8 hours. 
• Just before serving cook the spaghetti according to package directions. While the pasta is cooking remove corn from cob and add to the pasta for the last 2-3 minutes of cooking.  (Or add frozen corn at the same time).
• Drain pasta and corn and return to the pot. Pour cold tomato sauce over the hot pasta and corn and toss.  (The contact of the hot pasta with the cold tomatoes works together to create a unique and delicious flavor.)
• Serve immediately with grated parmesan cheese and some freshly ground pepper if desired.

Notes

Helping Hands: Kids can help with the first part of this recipe by making the sauce. My son loves to mix, so he usually mixes the sauce as I add the various ingredients.  We also use these great kids safe knives which allows him to help chop some of the ingredients as well.

Make ahead options: This is by nature a make ahead meal.  I make up the sauce in the morning and it’s in the fridge ready to. Then I just need to boil pasta and get the corn ready when it comes time to eat.

What to serve with it:  We keep this very simple and often serve it by itself or with a simple salad on the side.  I often make an easy cucumber salad that goes great alongside this and adds to the garden fresh feel.