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Gemelli Pasta With Bacon, Tomato and Yellow Squash

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The summer months are perfect for pasta with yellow squash and tomatoes. Plus who doesn’t love bacon?

pasta with tomatoes bacon and yellow squash on blue plate

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It’s summertime, and you want to put some color (and veggies!) in your meals. The bright yellow squash and rich red tomatoes create a dish that matches the sunny days!

This delicious meal is an easy one you can throw together. I love the fresh ingredients readily available in summer, and pasta is a perfect simple base to hold it all together.

What is Gemelli Pasta?

Gemelli (pronounced jeh-MEL-lee) is the word for ‘twins’ in Italian. This type of pasta looks like two twin strands of pasta twisted together.

Take a closer look and you’ll see it is actually one S-shaped strand in a corkscrew spiral. This particular shape of pasta makes it perfect for soaking up flavorful oils, sauces and flavors.

Gemelli Pasta Substitutes

Not all pasta is created equal! Many pasta shapes can be swapped for each other, but not all. For instance you wouldn’t use Orzo (a rice-shape) in place of Penne (a tube).

If you don’t have gemelli pasta on hand, or if it proves difficult to find in a store, there are plenty of different types of pasta you can use! There are lots of pasta substitutions that can be made.

Here are some fun shapes that I would recommend swapping for gemelli:

  • Campanelle
  • Conchiglie
  • Orechiette
  • Penne
  • or make your own pasta!
Pasta with yellow squash and tomatoes in white bowl

Pasta for dinner

I like to start a lot of pasta dishes with a little cooked bacon, pancetta or sausage. Just a little goes a long way, so you still have a heavily veggie-based dish, but loads of flavor. 

This pasta with yellow squash gets some tang from tomatoes and richness from a little bacon.

More Summer Pasta Recipes:

Pasta with Eggplant and Tomatoes

Herbed Vegetable Pasta with Artichokes

What a great way to use veggies from the market or your garden. Nothing is better than fresh veggies!

4.75 from 4 votes
Pasta with tomatoes, bacon and yellow squash in white bowl
Print
Gemelli With Bacon, Tomato And Yellow Squash
Work Time
10 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
30 mins
 

Gemelli combined with fresh vegetables and bacon makes a perfect and easy summer pasta with yellow squash.

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 6 slices bacon
  • 2 yellow squash (yellow zucchini) diced
  • 1 pint grape tomatoes
  • 1 lb gemelli pasta
  • kosher salt
  • ground black pepper
  • Parmesan
Instructions

  1. Cook pasta in very salty water, drain and set aside. Cook bacon over medium heat in a nonstick skillet; set aside.

  2. In same skillet, cook 2 diced yellow squash until just tender, about 5 min. Add 1 pint grape tomatoes and heat through, letting tomatoes get a little charred.

  3. Toss everything with cooked gemelli pasta, season to taste with extra salt, pepper and Parmesan.

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Written by Tessa Samuelsen & Tara Teaspoon. Recipe Tara Teaspoon, Photographs Hallie Burton. LHJ 05/10

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. I love using fresh vegetables in my pasta! I can’t wait to go out and buy some Gemelli pasta to try this this weekend after my trek to the farmer’s market!

    Reply

  2. This looks fantastic and so perfect for summer! I can’t wait to make this for my friends.

    Reply

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