Pasta Primavera 

By Dan Pelosi

Published June 26, 2024

  • Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
45 minutes
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Rating
5(2,213)
Comments
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This vegetarian pasta is a great way to use all of your fresh vegetables from the farmer’s market (or even the ones still hanging on in your fridge). The vegetables are cooked until they are just tender and still crisp, then coated in a delicate, lemony cream sauce and sprinkled with fresh Parmesan and herbs. Originally, this recipe was made with spaghetti, but a shorter pasta shape that’s the same size as the vegetable pieces provides a more enjoyable bite.  “Primavera” means spring, but any vegetable from the spring and summer season is welcome in this dish. Feel free to add asparagus, cherry tomatoes, carrots and  more — just note which vegetables cook faster than others and adjust as needed. 

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Ingredients

Yield:6 servings

  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 pound penne or other short pasta 

  • 1 cup frozen peas

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1 red onion, thinly sliced 

  • 1 red bell pepper, sliced into matchsticks

  • 2 cups bite-size broccoli florets

  • 1 zucchini, sliced into ¼-inch-thick half moons 

  • 1 yellow squash, sliced into ¼-inch-thick half moons

  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

  • 1 medium shallot, minced 

  • 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

  • 1 cup vegetable broth

  • ½ cup heavy cream

  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest and 3 tablespoons lemon juice (from 1  lemon)

  • ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

  • Chopped fresh basil, for serving

  • Chopped fresh parsley, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

79 grams carbs; 36 milligrams cholesterol; 569 calories; 8 grams monosaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 21 grams fat; 8 grams fiber; 881 milligrams sodium; 19 grams protein; 9 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a large pasta pot, bring salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente (according to package instructions); 2 minutes before the pasta is done, add the peas. Drain the pasta and peas and set aside.

  2. Step 2

    While the pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet (at least 12 inches) or a Dutch oven on medium and add olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the red onion, red bell pepper and broccoli. Cook, stirring occasionally, until broccoli is slightly softened, about 4 minutes. Add the zucchini and yellow squash and continue to cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until all vegetables are tender but still crisp. Season with salt and pepper and remove vegetables from the pan and set aside.

  3. Step 3

    To the same pan over medium, add the butter, shallot and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until aromatic. Add the vegetable broth, bring to a boil and then decrease the heat to medium. Stir in the heavy cream, lemon zest and juice, bring to a simmer, and cook until sauce thickens slightly, 4 to 5 minutes.

  4. Step 4

    Add the reserved vegetables and pasta and peas to the skillet, stirring to combine. Stir in the Parmesan until combined with the sauce, coating the vegetables and pasta. Season with salt and pepper. Serve garnished with basil, parsley and more Parmesan.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
2,213 user ratings
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Comments

Pat

From the substitution list : Tangy, textural ingredients like crema, crème fraîche, mascarpone, Neufchâtel, Quark, queso fresco, sour cream or yogurt of any variety can be used interchangeably.

BJ

This sounds delicious but I cannot use heavy cream. Any suggestions for a viable substitute that is lower in fat?

Lexi

How about using Greek yogurt thinned with some water or milk?

Emily

A whole pound of pasta is NOT needed. Only half of what we cooked made it into the veggie mixture, which gets you the ratio you see in the picture. I think it would’ve been quite dry with that much too

Katy

Sadly, not everyone in my family liked the lemony flavor of this pasta which I made as written with a little extra veggies. Next time I might increase the garlic and shallots and either decrease the lemon juice or just use the lemon zest as a topping for people to add as they like. Great spring recipe though!

G's mom

Too much pasta, which overwhelmed the veggie-ness and creamy sauce (even used a bit of white wine and pasta water to extend sauce but pasta was just too overwhelming, even though I reduced the amount of pasta to just under one pound). I don't think we'll try this again.

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