This casserole was inspired by a dish on Skinnytaste called “Summer Cavatelli with Corn, Tomatoes and Zucchini.” I changed so many things, other than the three vegetables, that you might want to check out the original recipe if you’re interested in a Weight Watcher’s point count.

Ingredients:

1/2 pound of shell pasta (I used Barilla Large Shells)
About 1 TBS olive oil
kernels cut from 2 ears of fresh corn
1 pint grape tomatoes (cut in halves)
1 medium zucchini (small dice)
2-3 (depending on size) cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
About 3/4 cup jarred marinara sauce
1-2 TBS basil pesto (optional)
red pepper flakes (optional)
fresh basil
grated or shaved Parmesan

Method:

1. Cook the pasta shells in generously salted water.
2. Heat olive oil in a sauté pan.
3. Over medium heat, add garlic slices. Cook just until fragrant. Don’t burn!
4. Add tomatoes. Season with salt, pepper, and a shakes of red pepper flakes (if using.) Cook for a few minutes until the tomatoes start to soften.
5. Add the corn and zucchini. Stir to combine and cook for a few more minutes. You want the corn to retain some crispness, so don’t over cook.
6. Add the marinara. You might want to add some pesto at this point as well. Heat through.
7. Reserve a cup of cooking water before you drain the pasta in case you want to lighten the sauce.
8. Add the pasta shells to the vegetable mixture. Stir well, and check for seasoning. Thin with a little reserved pasta water if mixture seems too thick.
9. Top with grated or shaved Parmesan and fresh basil leaves.