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a photo of a large bowl full of penne pasta tossed with vegetables and a creamy sauce
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Pasta Primavera

This delicious and easy Pasta Primavera recipe is perfect for a weeknight meal. Loaded with fresh veggies, flavorful herbs and tossed in a creamy sauce, it's a crowd-pleasing and healthy dish that the whole family will love.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time55 minutes
Course: 50 of our Best Easy Pasta Recipes, Over 500 Family Dinner Recipes Ideas
Keyword: lemon, pasta, penne, vegetables
Servings: 6
Author: Sweet Basil

Ingredients

  • 10 Ounces Penne reserved pasta water
  • 2 Tablespoons Salt
  • 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
  • 10 Asparagus Spears tough ends snapped, halved lengthwise and cut on the diagonal into 3/4" pieces
  • 1/3 Red Onion sliced
  • 1 Red Bell Pepper sliced thin
  • 1 Yellow Squash medium, cut into 1/2" dice
  • 1 Cup Matchstick Carrots
  • 3 Tablespoons Butter unsalted
  • 3 Cloves Garlic medium, pressed through a garlic press or minced
  • 1 Lemon zested
  • 2 teaspoons Dried Italian Seasoning
  • 1 Cup Grape Tomatoes
  • 1/2 Cup Pasta Water
  • 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice fresh
  • 1 Cup Peas fresh preferred or frozen
  • 1/2 Cup Heavy Cream
  • 1/2 Cup Parmesan freshly grated
  • 1/4 Cup Fresh Basil chopped
  • 1 Tablespoon Fresh Curly Parsley chopped
  • 1/4 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes optional
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Bring 4 quarts of water to a rolling boil in a large pot for the pasta.
  • Add in a good handful of salt. Add pasta. Cook al dente or until pasta is slightly undercooked. Do not drain!! Using a spider (I cannot live without mine!) remove pasta from water into a colander. Reserve cooking liquid!!
    10 Ounces Penne, 2 Tablespoons Salt
  • While pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet to medium heat. Add the olive oil and the add the asparagus, onions and peppers. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid sticking. Transfer to a dish.
    1 Tablespoon Olive Oil, 10 Asparagus Spears, 1/3 Red Onion, 1 Red Bell Pepper
  • Add in the yellow squash and carrots and season everything with salt and pepper, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until vegetables are tender, yet crisp. Transfer the vegetables to the dish with the asparagus.
    1 Yellow Squash, 1 Cup Matchstick Carrots
  • Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons of the butter in the now-empty skillet over medium high heat until foamy. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds .
    3 Tablespoons Butter, 3 Cloves Garlic
  • Stir in the lemon zest, Italian Seasoning, salt again and tomatoes, cooking until the tomatoes begin to brown.
    1 Lemon, 2 teaspoons Dried Italian Seasoning, 1 Cup Grape Tomatoes
  • Add 1/2 cup of starchy cooking liquid leftover from pasta. Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce to a simmer for five minutes — the tomatoes should be starting to burst. If they haven’t gently push on them using the back of a wooden spoon. You only want about half to burst.
    1/2 Cup Pasta Water
  • Add the peas.
    1 Cup Peas
  • Stir in the heavy cream and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice along with half of the cheese.
    2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice, 1/2 Cup Heavy Cream, 1/2 Cup Parmesan
  • Reduce heat to medium and simmer until slightly thickened, about 4 min.
  • Add the veggies, basil, along with the pasta into the large skillet.
    1/4 Cup Fresh Basil
  • Add remaining fresh Parmesan cheese and herbs. Top with red pepper flakes and serve!
    1/4 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes, 1 Tablespoon Fresh Curly Parsley

Video

Notes

Left overs will keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 days

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 404kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 2537mg | Potassium: 539mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 5521IU | Vitamin C: 52mg | Calcium: 173mg | Iron: 2mg