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Light and creamy Pasta Primavera is the best way to use all of your spring or summer garden vegetables! Prep the veggies in advance and cook this easy skillet dinner in just 25 minutes.
If you’re looking for an easy way to eat more vegetables then this creamy pasta primavera should be on your dinner menu soon!
Primavera pasta is loaded with fresh vegetables and a light and creamy sauce. Enjoy it for dinner any night any time of the year. Substitute or add any vegetables you enjoy to create this easy and healthy pasta recipe.
There’s something rewarding about eating a plate with all the colors of the rainbow and enjoying every bite of healthy, nourishing food.
The basis for the recipe is the same – pasta, a creamy béchamel sauce and of course, the spring vegetables.
This recipe adds quite a few more vegetables, uses fresh basil instead of dry and uses spinach fettuccine for a pop of spring green color. You can, of course, stick with traditional pasta.
This easy Pasta Primavera recipe is very interchangeable as far as what vegetables or pasta you use. Just pick your favorites, your kids’ favorites or what you can find. Anything goes with this spring-inspired pasta dish!
What is Pasta Primavera?
Pasta Primavera is a veggie-packed dish made with noodles and plenty of fresh veggies. Typically the veggies used are whatever is fresh at the time, often including zucchini, asparagus, carrots and peppers.
It’s served with a simple light and creamy sauce, some fresh basil and Parmesan cheese. It’s the perfect pasta dinner year-round.
What You’ll Need
- Olive oil – For sautéing the vegetables.
- Shallot – Minced for flavor in every bite.
- Mushrooms – Cremini are my preference but you can use any.
- Asparagus – Cut into 2 inch pieces.
- Zucchini – Cut into matchsticks. A great way to use up excess zucchini in the summer.
- Red bell pepper – Green or yellow bell peppers also add a splash of color.
- Carrot – Peeled into ribbons with a vegetable peeler or cut into matchsticks.
- Peas – The only vegetable I prefer to use frozen and not from the fridge.
- Salt & Pepper – to taste
- Spinach fettuccine – I like spinach fettuccine to keep things light. You can also use any type of traditional pasta.
- Parmesan – What is pasta without cheese?
- Fresh basil – The final touch!
- Flour – The base of the creamy bechamel pasta sauce.
- Dry white wine – Adding wine to the sauce is optional but recommended.
- Chicken broth – Opt for low sodium to avoid a too-salty sauce.
- Milk – Unsweetened almond or 1% cow milk are my go-tos.
How to Make Pasta Primavera
1. Cook pasta according to package instructions.
2. Add olive oil to a large skillet set over medium-high heat. When the skillet is hot, swirl the oil around the bottom of the pan to coat. Add shallot, mushrooms, red bell pepper and asparagus. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Sauté the vegetables for about 3 minutes and then add in the zucchini and carrots. Sauté for another 2 to 3 minutes or until tender.
4. Remove the vegetables from the skillet onto a plate.
5. Prep the sauce and then add the vegetables back into the pan with the sauce.
6. Add the frozen peas and stir everything together until it is coated in the sauce.
7. Serve with fresh Parmesan cheese and more basil.
How to Make Bechamel Sauce
1. Add olive oil and flour to a large skillet set over medium heat.
2. Whisk together the flour until combined and let cook for 1 minute.
3. Add in white wine and whisk into the flour mixture. Continue whisking constantly as you add chicken broth and milk.
4. Season with salt and pepper and continue whisking until the sauce thickens.
5. Stir in chiffonade fresh basil.
Tips for Success
- Cook the pasta to an al dente texture, taking care not to overcook.
- Add salt to the water when boiling to help bring out the flavor in the pasta.
- Use garden fresh veggies when possible.
- Choose a variety of vegetables – different shapes, flavors and textures.
Variation Ideas
- Add cooked shrimp or chicken for protein.
- Switch up the veggies to whatever fresh veggies you may have on hand.
- Mix in some Italian seasoning to the vegetables for extra flavor.
What Goes with Pasta Primavera?
Pasta Primavera easily serves as a complete meal on its own. However, if you want to add a side, freshly baked bread and a side salad are both great options!
How to Store & Reheat Leftovers
Store this easy pasta dish in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove. I do not recommend freezing extras.
More Easy Pasta Dinners:
- Italian Turkey Meatballs with pasta
- One Pot Cajun Chicken Pasta
- Instant Pot Lemon Pasta with Peas
- Spinach and Ricotta Pasta
- Grilled Chicken and Asparagus Pesto Pasta
- Asparagus Goat Cheese Pasta
Pasta Primavera
Ingredients
Pasta Primavera:
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup minced shallot
- 1 1/2 cups sliced cremini mushrooms
- 1 cup asparagus, cut into 2 inch pieces
- 1 zucchini, cut into matchsticks
- 1/2 of a red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 carrot, peeled into ribbons with a vegetable peeler or cut into matchsticks
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
- 8 ounces spinach fettuccine
- Parmesan cheese and fresh basil for topping the pasta
Béchamel Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons flour
- 1/4 cup dry white wine, optional but recommended
- 3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 3/4 cup milk of choice, I’ve use unsweetened almond milk and 1% milk
- 3 tablespoons chiffonade fresh basil
- Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package instructions.
- Drain the pasta placing it in a serving bowl and drizzle with a little olive oil to keep from sticking together.
- Cover the pasta with foil to keep it warm while you make the rest of the dish.
- Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- When the skillet is hot swirl the oil around the bottom of the pan to coat it then toss in the shallot, mushrooms, red bell pepper and asparagus and season with salt and pepper.
- Sauté the vegetable for about 3 minutes then add in the zucchini and carrots and sauté for another 2-3 minutes or until tender, but still have some crunch.
- Remove the vegetables from the skillet onto a plate.
- Lower the heat to medium.
- In the same skillet add 1 tablespoon of olive oil along with the flour.
- Whisk together until the flour is combined with the oil and let the raw flour taste cook out for about 1 minute.
- Add in the white wine and whisk into the flour mixture.
- Continue whisking constantly as you add in the chicken broth and milk.
- Season with salt and pepper and continue to whisk the sauce until it thickens.
- Stir in the basil.
- Add the vegetables back into the pan along with the frozen peas and stir everything together until it is coated in the sauce.
- Pour the vegetable and sauce mixture over the pasta and top with fresh parmesan cheese and more basil.
- Toss together before serving.
Notes
- Free free to substitute any of the vegetables for ones you prefer or have on hand.
- Store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe was originally published by Recipe Runner in 2019. It was updated in March 2021 with new process photos and tips.
Such a wonderful recipe!!
So many lovely fresh flavors in this pasta primavera!
This is one of my favorite ways to eat pasta! Looks so good!
I cant believe I haven’t made this all summer it’s fresh and fabulous, this is such a great recipe, looks like dinner today!
I’d never made, only ordered, pasta primavera until now! I don’t know why I waited so long. It was so easy and absolutely scrumptious!!!