Balsamic Cherry Tomato Pasta Bowl

This fresh balsamic cherry tomato pasta bowl takes less than 30 minutes to make. It's full of fresh summer zucchini and seasoned with a light balsamic vinaigrette. 

Nothing says summer quite like tomatoes. Cherry tomatoes in hummus, a sliced beefsteak with a bit of salt and pepper, ooh!

Even better, burst cherry tomatoes in a tangy balsamic vinaigrette, tossed with sauteed zucchini, linguine, and cannellini beans (I promise I'm not purposely trying to rhyme).

This summer pasta bowl is an almost one-pot vegan dinner that's light enough for hot summer days and filling enough for meal prep.

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This is just the kind of meal to make when you're craving something light and fresh.

All you need is a few pantry ingredients and a handful of fresh produce like zucchini and roasted cherry tomatoes. Roasting cherry tomatoes deepens their flavor and they are one of my favorite ingredients to serve with gnocchi and pasta.

Toss sauteed veggies with pasta and a flavorful balsamic vinaigrette and you're on your way to lunch, dinner or meal prep. 

Ingredients

• Fresh cherry tomatoes, cooked until just bursting. This means that some of the tomato juice is released, but not so much that it becomes a full on tomato sauce.
• Slightly crunchy sauted zucchini, a good source of Vitamin A and Vitamin C.
• Cannellini beans, a slightly nutty white bean, contribute fiber, protein, and a slew of vitamins and minerals.
• Linguine is the pasta of choice for this recipe, but feel free to substitute with spaghetti or fettucini. Using a whole wheat pasta is a good way to increase your daily consumption of whole grains.
• A nice balsamic vinegar, the main flavor source in this dish. You don't need to go super fancy, but spending a little bit more money on balsamic vinegar goes a long way. This comes from someone who used cheap store brand vinegar for years; trust me, it's worth the upgrade!
• Extra virgin olive oil provides healthy monounsaturated fats. Olive oil and balsamic vinegar create a flavorful and light pasta dressing.

How to make

You need a large skillet and a medium sauce pot for this recipe.

Cook your linguine in the medium sauce pot until al dente. This varies by pasta brand, but it is usually the lower number on pasta cook time.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet.

Saute the cherry tomatoes and sliced zucchini for 8-10 minutes, until the tomatoes burst and the zucchini is lightly browned. Add the balsamic vinegar and cannellini beans and cook for two more minutes. Add the veggies to the drained linguine, give it a stir, and serve! Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add additional balsamic vinegar if you prefer a stronger flavor.

Looking for more recipes?

I like to serve pasta bowls with a dash of Parmesan or nutritional yeast and a side of whole wheat garlic knots.

If you're craving more vegetarian pasta recipes, you might like this Vegan Avocado Pesto Pasta or Vegetarian Tortellini Soup.

Use up extra zucchini in zucchini corn fritters, pita pizzas, or roasted vegetable gyros.