This last weekend we cooked dinner at my brother-in-law’s house and it was delish! I really wanted something light, but still yummy, and this Pasta Primavera Recipe was perfect. We are huge asparagus fans so anything with asparagus gets us excited. Although the dish has no meat I really don’t think you miss out on anything. In fact the husband and I like having meatless meals every now and again as long as all of the flavor is still there. I bet you could throw in some grilled chicken and that would be sooooo good!
How Do You Tell If Pasta Is Done?
The best way to tell if pasta is done is to taste it.
Pasta should be cooked to al dente, or firm to the bite.
The old saying that pasta is done if it sticks to the wall is false.
If it sticks to the wall, it is over-done.
Can you Reheat Pasta?
Reheating pasta with sauce can be done one of three ways.
Bake it at 350 degrees in a foil-covered baking dish, warm it in a saucepan over medium-low heat, or re-heat, covered, in the microwave.
Plain pasta is best reheated on the stove top.
On the stove, bring a large pot of water to boil, fill a strainer with pasta and dip in the boiling water until hot.
How Long Will Pasta With Sauce Keep?
Cooked pasta that has been tossed with sauce will keep for 4-5 days in the refrigerator.
Store pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Pasta Primavera Recipe
Pasta Primavera
Description
Ingredients
(We made the lighter version, see note at bottom)
- 6 oz Green Beans, cut into 3/4" pieces
- 12 Asparagus Spears, medium, tough ends snapped, halved lengthwise and cut on the diagonal into 3/4" pieces
- 1 Zucchini, medium, cut into 1/2" dice
- 1 Cup Peas, frozen, thawed
- 6 Tablespoons Butter, unsalted
- 8 oz Mushrooms, white, sliced thin
- 4 Tomatoes, large plum, cored, peeled and chopped medium
- 1/4 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes, optional
- 1/2 Cup Heavy Cream
- 1 Lb Fettuccine, dried egg
- 2 Cloves Cloves, medium, pressed through a garlic press or minced
- 1/4 Cup Basil, shredded, fresh
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice, fresh
- Parmesan , fresh for serving
Instructions
- Bring 4 quarts of water to a rolling boil in a large pot for the pasta.
- Bring 3 quarts of water to a rolling boil in a large saucepan for the green vegetables; add 1 tablespoon salt.
- Fill a large bowl with ice water; set aside.
- Add green beans to the sauce pan for 1 1/2 minutes, add the asparagus, cook 30 seconds, add zucchini, cook 30 seconds, add peas, cook 30 seconds.
- Drain the veggies and immediately place in cold water until chilled, about 3 min.
- Drain well and set aside.
- Heat 3 tablespoons of the butter in the now-empty saucepan over medium high heat until foamy.
- Add the mushrooms and saute until browned, 8-10 minutes.
- Add tomatoes, red pepper flakes and heavy cream.
- Reduce heat to medium and simmer until slightly thickened, about 4 min.
- Cover to keep warm and set aside.
- Add 1 tablespoon salt and the pasta to the boiling water in the pot and stir to separate the strands.
- Cook until al dente.
- While it is cooking, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over med heat until foamy.
- Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 min.
- Add blanched veggies and cook until heated through, about 2 min.
- Season with salt to taste.
- Meanwhile, bring the tomato and mushroom sauce back to a simmer over med heat.
- Drain the pasta and place back in the pot.
- Add the mushroom-tomato sauce and toss well.
- Add the veggies, basil, and lemon juice.
- Season with salt to taste and toss well.
- Serve with fresh Parmesan cheese.
Notes
Follow the recipe exactly, but replacing 4 tablespoons of the butter with olive oil, using 2 tablespoons to sauce the mushrooms and 2 tablespoons for the garlic. Substitute low-sodium chicken broth for the heavy cream, swirling 2 tablespoons of softened butter into the mushroom-tomato sauce before pouring it over the pasta. Left overs will keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 days
Nutrition
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Lauren
When do you add the heavy cream? It’s listed in the ingredients, but not included in the steps of the recipe.
Sweet Basil
Hi Lauren! I’m sorry for the confusion! It goes in with the tomatoes and red pepper flakes in step 9. I’ve updated the instructions. Thank you for letting me know it was missing!