Easy 20 Minute Pasta Recipe – Summer Pastabilities Recipe

I think we can all agree here that I am not one to spend more than a half hour in the kitchen making any type of meal. I am, however, big on not eating a lot of convenience foods so when I cook (and yes, I do cook every day), I make it quick, I make it easy and I make it tasty. Here’s my recipe for an easy 20-minute pasta salad that always gets us through a busy weekend lunch. What I like most about this recipe is that the tomato can be switched out for just about any vegetable… broccolini, zucchini, artichoke, etc.

Serves 6 to 8
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes

Cookware: pot, large bowl, colander

Ingredients
1 (12-ounce) package Hodgson Mill whole wheat medium shells pasta
1 can (14.5 oz.) Diced Tomatoes – Italian Style, drained
1 small can (2.25 oz) Sliced Black Olives, drained
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus 2 tbsp. for garnish
2 tbsp. Minced Garlic
2 Garden Veggie Patties
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions
1. Cook medium shells according to package directions.

2. Add drained diced tomatoes, sliced black olives, Parmesan cheese and minced garlic into a large bowl.

3. When pasta is done cooking, drain and add to large bowl. Stir to combine.

4. Heat up garden veggie patties according to package directions. Dice into cubes. Stir gently into large bowl and toss with extra virgin olive oil. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

5. Serve at room temperature.

This is not a sponsored post. I was given the challenge to create a pasta dish using Hodgson Mill pasta for a chance to win a prize. All thoughts, opinions and recipe remain my own.

Originally published on June 25, 2012. Last Updated on September 15, 2014 by Pattie Cordova