Summer has arrived, and I couldn’t be happier. I love the long evenings and bright, sun-soaked days. It can get hot here in Florida, but the season brings so many fresh ingredients that make cooking joyful.
This recipe was created for the Land O’Lakes Kitchen Conversations panel, where we celebrate simple, seasonal flavors. Now is the perfect time to use produce from your garden, a local farmers’ market, or the grocery store. Cooking summer vegetables—like squash, tomatoes, and asparagus—with Land O Lakes® Butter elevates those bright flavors into something special.
I’m sharing a light, summery vegetable pasta that’s simple to make and highly adaptable. Use your favorite pasta and whatever fresh vegetables are available. Make sure you have Butter with Olive Oil & Sea Salt, white wine, and a fresh lemon on hand.
This dish is basically summer in a bowl: rich with a buttery sauce but still light enough for lunch or a warm-weather dinner. Best of all, it takes about 30 minutes from start to finish.
Recently I traveled to Minneapolis to visit a dairy farm and the Land O’Lakes headquarters. The trip was full of learning, great food, and meeting passionate people.
We started with dinner at Pizzeria Lola—creative, wood-fired pizzas with bold flavor combinations. I tried potato pizza and a Korean short rib pie that quickly became a favorite. The inventive toppings and perfect crust made it a memorable meal.
The next day we visited a family-run dairy farm. The farmer and her husband work long hours caring for their cows, and their dedication is inspiring. Their warmth and knowledge made the visit feel like an honor. There was even a moment when one of our group sat in the pasture and called to a cow, and the animal came right over—an adorable reminder of the connection between people and the animals that provide our food.
At Land O’Lakes headquarters, I met employees who clearly love their work. The dedication to product development and quality control was impressive—there are trained teams of taste testers and carefully designed test kitchens to mirror professional foodservice operations.
We sampled recipes from the Kitchen Conversations collection—delicious desserts and savory dishes that showcase butter in creative ways. The variety and flavors were wonderful, from fruit cobblers to grilled peaches with brown butter sauce.
The Land O’Lakes test kitchen is a fully equipped commercial space certified by the Department of Health. They set it up to reflect real foodservice environments so their products perform the same for restaurants, schools, and other customers. One tasting showed the clear difference butter makes in a chocolate chip cookie—cookies made with butter were the standout.
We also baked pie pops in kitchens arranged like home kitchens, which was a lot of fun. I baked with fellow bloggers and enjoyed working with fresh strawberries and rhubarb, finished with a touch of lemon zest. It was my first time trying rhubarb, and I loved it.
The whole trip was a joyful mix of food, education, and meeting caring people. It was a pleasure to work with such a committed company and to return home inspired. Now, back to the recipe.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil while you prep the vegetables.
Tomatoes are a summer staple—dice them to top the pasta just before serving.
Have all ingredients prepped and ready so the cooking moves quickly.
Melt Land O Lakes® Butter with Olive Oil & Sea Salt in a pan over medium heat.
Sauté the squash and asparagus in the butter for 3 to 4 minutes until just tender.
Add the spinach and cook about 90 seconds until it begins to wilt. Pour in the white wine and increase the heat to medium-high for 2 to 3 minutes to reduce slightly. Remove the pan from the heat, squeeze in lemon, then toss in the cooked pasta. Season with salt and pepper to taste and mix well.
Use any pasta shape you like—spaghetti, angel hair, or a short pasta work well. Swap in seasonal vegetables you prefer and finish the dish with fresh diced tomatoes, grated Parmesan, and chopped Italian parsley for brightness and texture. The butter with olive oil and sea salt, the white wine, and a hint of lemon deliver a simple but delightful summer flavor.
Summer Vegetable Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound pasta, your choice
- 1 Land O Lakes® Butter with Olive Oil & Sea Salt Half Stick, 4 Tablespoons
- 1/2 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into quarters
- 2 yellow squash, chopped
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 2 cups packed fresh spinach, rinsed
- 1/2 lemon
- 1 tomato, diced
- grated Parmesan cheese
- Italian parsley, chopped
Instructions
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Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Prep the vegetables. Cook the pasta and drain it while finishing the vegetables.
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In a stainless-steel pan, melt Land O Lakes® Butter with Olive Oil & Sea Salt over medium heat. Add asparagus and squash; cook 3 to 4 minutes. Season with freshly ground pepper. Add spinach and cook about 90 seconds until it begins to wilt. Add the white wine, increase heat to medium-high, and cook 2 to 3 more minutes to reduce slightly. Remove from heat, squeeze in lemon, and toss with the cooked pasta. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
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Serve topped with diced tomatoes, grated Parmesan, and chopped parsley.
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Disclosure: The Little Kitchen partnered with Land O’Lakes for the Kitchen Conversation blogger program. This post is sponsored by Land O’Lakes and contains an affiliate link.