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Pasta Primavera isn’t just for the spring and summer, its for every season, any day of the year! This dish is versatile with the veggies you can add for the perfect primavera filled with seasonal produce. Whether you serve this with a cream sauce, tomato sauce, or garlic & oil, it’ll be delicious no matter what you choose.
Pasta Primavera (Italian for spring pasta) is a classic American pasta dish born in the 70s at Le Cirque, a popular New York City restaurant. It was soon served at restaurants and is still a popular pasta recipe today! There are many variations out there consisting of different veggies used whether it’s spring vegetables, summer vegetables, or even winter vegetables. There are recipes made with a lemon cream sauce, alfredo sauce, marinara, or garlic & oil with some having a fresh squeeze of lemon.
I love coming home from farmer’s markets with loads of fresh produce. It’s probably the best produce I buy! When I come home with the veggies, I’ll throw on a big pot of boiling water, cook some pasta, chop up some veggies and sauté them with garlic & oil, then dinner is served that night.
How to make Pasta Primavera
The beauty of pasta primavera is you can use any leftover vegetables you have for this pasta. I made this with a simple garlic, oil, and a lemon squeeze. However, any sauce will do such as creamy pesto sauce or alfredo sauce. (Full ingredient amounts and complete instructions are available in the recipe card down below).
- Penne: I love using penne for this dish. You can use any pasta you wish. I recommend spaghetti or cavatappi!
- Garlic, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Fresh Lemon Juice: Garlic and oil doesn’t hide all of the fresh veggies, plus the addition of the lemon juice brightens up the entire dish. It’s so delicious.
- Any vegetables you wish! Use any veggies that are in season or any leftover produce you might have in your fridge.
- Fresh Basil: It’s a nice vibrant herb that offers more to the dish.
Cook the pasta to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water. In a large skillet, heat 2 tbsp of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add in the bell peppers and saute for 2 minutes. Add in the zucchini, yellow squash, tomatoes, red onion, and mushrooms. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Saute for 5-7 minutes or until the veggies are soft and tender, and the tomatoes release their juices, stirring occasionally. Stir in the broccoli. Transfer the veggies to a plate or bowl. Heat the remaining olive oil over medium heat. Saute the garlic for 1 minute, stirring so it doesn’t burn. Stir the veggies back into the skillet, coating them with the garlic and oil. Drizzle in the lemon juice and sprinkle in the basil. Toss to combine and serve.
Tips & FAQs
- Storage: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Freezing this is not recommended. The veggies will end up getting mushy when reheated from frozen.
- Use any veggies you wish! Do keep in mind that some veggies take longer to cook than others (example: carrots take longer than zucchini), so add those veggies first for about 2-3 minutes, then add in the remaining. You want the veggies to be tender, not soft and mushy.
- Can I add protein to this pasta? Absolutely! Add some sauteed shrimp. You can also add grilled or breaded chicken to this.
Want the recipe? Click print below! Let me know how it came out for you by tagging me on Instagram (@missravenskitchen) and using #missravenskitchen! Follow my Facebook page for updates as well! Let me know if I need to tweak anything.
Pasta Primavera
Ingredients
- 1 lb penne, or any pasta
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced into 1/4-inch slices
- 1 small zucchini, diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 small yellow squash, diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
- 8 oz white mushrooms, sliced
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 10 oz frozen broccoli florets, steamed**
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, sliced
Instructions
- Cook the pasta to the package directions for al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water.
- In a large skillet, heat 2 tbsp of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add in the bell peppers and saute for 2 minutes. Add in the zucchini, yellow squash, tomatoes, red onion, and mushrooms. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Saute the veggies for 5-7 minutes or until the veggies are soft and tender, and the tomatoes release their juices, stirring occasionally. Stir in the broccoli. Transfer the veggies to a plate or bowl.
- Heat the remaining olive oil over medium heat. Saute the garlic for 1 minute, stirring so it doesn’t burn.
- Stir the veggies back into the skillet, coating them with the garlic and oil. Drizzle in the lemon juice and sprinkle in the basil. Toss to combine and serve.
Notes
**Add the broccoli into a bowl with some water. Tightly cover it with plastic wrap and pierce twice with a fork. Steam the broccoli in the microwave in 3-minute intervals until it’s heated through. Continue with the recipe as instructed.
Storage: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Freezing this is not recommended. The veggies will end up getting mushy when reheated from frozen.
Use any veggies you wish! Do keep in mind that some veggies take longer to cook than others (for example, carrots take longer than zucchini), so add those veggies first for about 2-3 minutes, then add in the remaining. You want the veggies to be tender, not soft and mushy.
Can I add protein to this pasta? Absolutely! Add some sauteed shrimp. You can also add grilled or breaded chicken to this.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
692.9Carbs (grams)
103.32 gCholesterol (grams)
0 mgFat (grams)
23.09 gFiber (grams)
8.54 gProtein (grams)
21.27 gSat. Fat (grams)
3.35 gSodium (milligrams)
100.84 mgSugar (grams)
11.78 gThe nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and the brands of ingredients used.
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