What Is Pasta Primavera?
Did you know that primavera means “spring” in both Italian and Spanish? On this first day of spring, I present you with this easy pasta primavera recipe that the whole family will love. It’s chock full of crisp-tender vegetables, al dente cooked penne pasta, and it’s all tossed in a light lemon cream sauce with fresh herbs and Parmesan cheese. While you may think that easy pasta recipe originated in Italy, it actually did not. It originated at Le Cirque in New York City in the 1970s. I have memories of my mom making this dish way back when! It’s a simple yet satisfying dish that’s full of so many textures, flavors, and a great way to work in lots of veggies! You can mix-and-match the vegetables based on what you have on hand. I appreciate that pasta primavera is not at all fussy and is ready in 30 minutes, making it a great option for busy weeknights.
Ingredients in Pasta Primavera
To make a show-stopping penne pasta primavera recipe, the most important thing to remember is that you’ll need lots of vegetables! All the ingredients are easy to find at your local supermarket and are common fridge and pantry items including the following:
Pasta + Veggies
Penne pasta Olive oil Unsalted butter Red onion Carrots Garlic Asparagus Bell Peppers Broccoli florets Yellow squash Peas Cherry tomatoes Fresh basil and parsley
Pasta Primavera Sauce
Heavy whipping cream Grated Parmesan cheese Lemon zest Lemon juice Italian seasoning Salt Black pepper
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Pasta Primavera
The longest part of this recipe will be the vegetable chopping. This is where you can call upon your spouse, teenager, or anyone you can hand a knife and a cutting board to help you out! Follow my straightforward directions as follows: Step 1: Cook pasta according to package instructions in a large pot. Drain, rinse, and set aside. Step 2: To a large skillet add the olive oil, butter, onions, carrots, and saute for 4 minutes over medium-high heat. While the onions and carrots are sautéing, keep moving along with your chopping and chop the bell peppers and broccoli. Also remember you’re not being graded on the exact precision in which you cut the veggies. Just get them chopped, don’t worry and obsess too much! This is how to save on the overall total recipe time needed to make pasta primavera. Step 3: Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Step 4: Add the asparagus, bell peppers, broccoli, and saute for 3 minutes. Step 5: Add the squash, peas, and saute for 3 minutes. Step 6: Combine the pasta with all the cooked vegetables and toss in the tomatoes. Step 7: Make the cream sauce for the pasta primavera by whisking together the heavy cream, Parmesan, lemon zest and juice, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper in a bowl, and pour this over the pasta and vegetables. Step 8: Sprinkle with fresh parsley, basil, more Parm, toss to combine, taste for seasoning balance, and serve your pasta dish!
What Kind of Vegetables Should I Use for Pasta Primavera?
Since this is primavera pasta, spring vegetables are a must! Asparagus and peas are two that immediately come to mind. However, there is so much opportunity to mix-and-match and vary what vegetables you include. For example:
You can use any color bell pepper you want such as red, orange, yellow, or green White or yellow onions are more classic but I had a red onion on hand Swap a green zucchini for the yellow summer squash Green beans are a great addition in case you don’t have asparagus Mushroom lovers feel free to work in some sliced white button or baby portobello mushrooms Something in your crisper drawer you need to use up like the Costco sized bag of spinach or kale? Toss in a few big handfuls into your pan at the end and it’ll wilt right down
What Pasta is Best for Pasta Primavera?
The classic pasta primavera recipe tends to favor penne pasta. However, you can use the following small shaped pasta:
Small shells Ziti Rotini Rigatoni Farfalle Orichette Long strand pasta such as angel hair, spaghetti, or linguine is also fine
Serving Suggestions for Creamy Pasta Primavera
This is a very filling dish in all honesty. Between the pasta and then all those veggies, you really will not need anything else! Also salt that pasta cooking water generously! At least 1 tablespoon is my recommendation. This helps the pasta to taste great. If you want to perhaps serve it with garlic bread or a batch of my Soft and Fluffy Honey Dinner Rolls, that’s about all I can really envision you may want. You won’t need a salad after all the veggies!
Storing Leftover Pasta Primavera
I am a big believer in cooking once, and cooking enough so that you have leftovers for either work or school lunches the next day, or a quick zap-it-in-the-microwave dinner option that is no work at all. If you find yourself with extra pasta primavera, it’ll keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months. Note that the pasta will continue to absorb any of the lemon cream sauce so the leftovers won’t look or taste as “saucy”. And vegetable texture changes and becomes softer, especially if you freeze it, but not a big deal.
Tips for the Best Pasta Primavera
Heavy Cream
Make sure to use heavy whipping cream and not half-and-half (and definitely not milk) for the best mouthfeel and consistency to the cream sauce.
No Cream Sauce?
If you’re a person who doesn’t need a creamy sauce, then it’s fine to omit the heavy cream and instead just use 1/2 cup pasta water instead. Chicken broth or vegetable broth also work.
Parmesan Cheese
Use freshly and finely grated Parmesan cheese for best results. Don’t use cheese in a green can. If you have Pecorino-Romano on hand rather than Parm, it’s an okay substitution.
Lemon Zest
Any time you’re zesting a lemon or an orange, make sure to only take off the outermost layer and don’t go down to the white, or pith. It’s bitter and will change the flavor of your sauce.
Zest, Then Juice
Common sense here but worth pointing out to always zest first, then juice, in a recipe that calls for both. Like in my fan-favorite Lemon Olive Oil Cake.
Taste It
Sounds obvious, but any time you’re making a big batch pasta recipe like this one, with nearly a pound of pasta, and many pounds worth of vegetables, you need to make sure to TASTE the food and tweak the salt (and pepper) balance, as necessary and to taste. Vegetables are begging to be seasoned properly to really shine so that even those people who say they “don’t like vegetables” will be pleasantly surprised and not bored. If you want to add a bit of intrigue and oomph, without adding over spiciness, add a teaspoon or two of red chili flakes.
More Spring Pasta Recipes:
Chicken Asparagus Pasta — EASY, ready in 20 minutes, and the asparagus, tomatoes, and basil keep this chicken and pasta recipe tasting LIGHTER and FRESHER!! Tried this recipe? Leave a review! Consider leaving a 5 star rating if you’ve made and loved one of my recipes! Parmesan Chicken and Spinach Pasta – EASY and ready in 20 minutes with comforting pasta, juicy chicken, a hint of lemon, and the PERFECT amount of Parmesan!! Great for busy weeknights and the extra is good for meal prepping!! Asiago Chicken and Pasta – EASY comfort food to feed a crowd that’s ready in 25 minutes!! Tender chicken and penne pasta with red peppers, green beans, and everything is coated with Asiago CHEESE for the family dinner win!! Lemon Pepper Basil Chicken and Pasta – EASY and ready in 15 minutes with comforting pasta, juicy chicken, and there is so much ZESTY flavor from the lemon, basil, and spinach!! A family favorite that’s perfect for busy weeknights!! Lemon Basil Orzo and Vegetables – An EASY vegan recipe ready in 30 minutes that makes it easy to eat your veggies while enjoying the comforts of pasta, too!! The lemon and basil make the dish taste fresh and light!! Greek Lemon Chicken and Orzo – EASY, ready in 25 minutes, and feeds a crowd!! Juicy lemon chicken with orzo, fresh spinach, cucumbers, and tomatoes make this a dinnertime WINNER! Great for parties, picnics, and potlucks!! Skinny Italian Chicken Pasta Salad – EASY, ready in 30 minutes, feeds a crowd, and is on the SKINNY side!! Juicy chicken, fresh veggies, and the pasta are tossed in a light and tangy homemade Italian lemon vinaigrette!!
