Pasta Primavera is a delicious and veggie packed recipe that makes a superb weeknight dinner. This classic dish is also a fantastic way to use up older vegetables or just a great way to get extra veggies into you day.
One of my favorite things about this dish is the fact that you can add anything you want or have on hand! This is just my favorite version, with all of my favorite veggies 🙂
What is the best pasta choice?
For this veggie heavy, light sauce pasta, going with a shorter, chunky shaped pasta would be best. The light sauce can fit into all of the nooks and crannies or each noodle. You can also use a long noodle like Buccatini, since it has a hole through it.
I would recommend using a pasta like Rigatoni, Penne, or even Farfelle. In my pasta, I used a shaped called “Trecce” that I was gifted from Italy. These were also like rope pieces, I loved this shape!
How to Make Pasta Primavera
Luckily, Pasta Primavera is one of the easiest pasta dishes to make! I love how fresh this dish is on warmer nights!
Before starting the cooking process, shop all of your veggies in around the same size. Mince a bit of the onion and leave some of the minced garlic for the sauce. I like to just add the minced onion and garlic in a separate small bowl.
In olive oil and pepper flakes, cook your veggies until slightly soft. You still want them to have a bit of crunch so they don’t get overcooked once cooked with the pasta. Then remove them into a bowl to stop the cooking process.
You want to cook the pasta in heavily salted water to season the noodles from within. I also like to save the pasta water toward the end of the pasta cooking. I find that this gets you the starchiest water.
In that same pan, add your butter, minced onion and garlic. (In my opinion, the best smell). Then once fragrant, add your white wine. I used a dry white wine, so that the sauce doesn’t get too sweet. You want this to reduce until slightly thicker.
Then all that is left is to add your cooked pasta, veggies and pasta water to tie everything together. You can start by adding half of your saved pasta water and then adding more when/if needed.
Garnish with chopped parsley and all the parmesan that your heart desires and enjoy! You can also add a bit more lemon juice if you like a bit more acidity.
Pasta Primavera (Easy Recipe)
DifficultyEasy
Servings6
Prep time15 minutes
Cook time30 minutes
Total time45 minutes
A quick and easy pasta dish, perfect for a spring weeknight dinner!
Ingredients
- 16 Oz Pasta of Choice
- 6 Garlic Cloves, Minced
- 1 Medium Red Onion
- 1 Orange Bell Pepper, Sliced
- 1 Small Bunch Asparagus
- 1 Pint Cherry Tomatoes, Halved
- 1/3 Bunch Of Parsley, Minced
- 1/2 Lemon, Juiced
- 1 1/2 Cup Dry White Wine
- 1/2 Stick Butter
- Olive Oil
- Salt
- Pepper
- Crush Red Pepper
- Parmesan Cheese
Instructions
- 1
In a large pan, start by heating olive oil with 2/3 of the minced garlic and a bit of crushed red pepper (if you want).
- 2
Thickly slice 3/4 of your onion and finely mince the rest. Add the sliced onion to the pan once the garlic is fragrant.
- 3
Once slightly soft, add the halved cherry tomatoes, asparagus, and bell pepper. Add a bit of salt and toss.
- 4
In heavily salted boiling water, cook your pasta of choice according to package. Before draining, save 2 cups of starchy pasta water.
- 5
Remove the cooked veggies from the pan.
- 6
Melt the butter in the same pan and then add the minced garlic and onions.
- 7
Once fragrant, add the wine and lemon juice. Reduce for around 5 minutes on high or until slightly thicker.
- 8
Add the cooked pasta and veggies to the sauce, toss gently.
- 9
Toss in half of the pasta water and cook on high. Toss gently until the water is cooked off. You can add pasta water according to how you like your pasta cooked.
- 10
Garnish with parsley and parmesan cheese, enjoy hot!
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