Healthy Pasta Primavera

By Alexandra Caspero on April 2, 2023
A classic pasta primavera! With asparagus, tomatoes and zucchini.
Serves 4

Celebrate spring with this classic pasta primavera recipe! Penne pasta with fresh asparagus, zucchini, shallots, peas and tomatoes. With tips to make vegan pasta primavera, pesto primavera and creamy pasta primavera.

I’ve been sitting on this recipe for months, waiting to debut it for SPRING. After all, primavera means spring, and this healthy pasta primavera recipe is the perfect way to use fresh vegetables.

This penne primavera recipe is light and packed with seasonal vegetables and easy to customize! See below for tips on turning this recipe into a creamy pasta primavera or pesto primavera.

Close Up Noodles And Spring Vegetables
Spring Vegetable Recipe

Why we love this recipe

This pasta primavera proves the old adage– grab delicious, fresh ingredients and you’ll be rewarded with an incredible meal. We highlight the best of spring produce in this one, asparagus, zucchini, peas and tomatoes.

Roast the vegetables until tender and caramelized, then toss with the penne and a generous handful of parmesan cheese.

See also: How to Cook Asparagus in the Oven

Pasta With Spring Vegetables

Pasta Primavera Ingredients

  • Pasta of choice
  • Cherry tomatoes
  • Shallot
  • Garlic
  • Crushed Red Pepper
  • Zucchini
  • Asparagus
  • Peas
  • Basil
  • Fresh lemon juice
  • Parmesan cheese, regular or vegan

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

You can use many different vegetables to make this recipe. Broccoli, bell pepper, green beans, and even carrots can be used in addition to or in place of the other vegetables. Yellow squash can be used in place of zucchini, I just like the look of zucchini. You can also fold in fresh chopped spinach leaves in the last minutes of combining the pasta and veggies until just wilted.

I recommend keeping the total amount of vegetables to 6-7 cups so as not to make the pasta ratio off.

If you are adding in more vegetables, cook them in the same place, and you do the zucchini. You may need an additional baking sheet for space.

Fresh basil leaves are my favorite in this pasta primavera recipe, but you can also use fresh chives and/or parsley.

The full amount of the ingredients and directions in the recipe card are below!

How to Make Pasta Primavera

Cook the tomatoes

Toss the tomatoes, shallots, garlic with olive oil, salt and pepper and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook until nice and soft, about 25 minutes. Roasted Tomatoes In A Pan

Roast the zucchini and asparagus

Spread zucchini and asparagus on a baking sheet and toss with extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast until soft and with some color, about 20 minutes. If using broccoli or other hearty vegetables, add them here. Roasted Zucchini And Asparagus

Cook the pasta

Reserve 1 cup of pasta water from the cooked pasta. Add pasta to a large pan along with the roasted vegetables and all the juices. Add the peas and 1/4 cup pasta water and toss to combine. Remove from heat and add in the parmesan cheese, lemon juice and basil and toss again. Pasta Primavera In A Saucepan

How to Make Creamy Pasta Primavera

To make this a creamy version, like a blend between fettuccine alfredo and pasta primavera then you can add in either heavy cream or cashew cream to make a sauce instead of the pasta water.

Cook the pasta as directed, then add 1/4 cup of cream along with the lemon juice and parmesan cheese to make a sauce.

Close Up Noodles And Spring Vegetables

How to Make Pesto Primavera

If you love pesto, then you’ll want to try a pesto primavera version. This way also happens to be my kids’ favorite.

Make the pasta as directed, then add in 1/3 cup of prepared pesto along with the lemon juice and parmesan cheese to make a sauce. Toss together, then serve. If you want a creamy pasta version, then you can toss with a little cream and pesto.

Pasta Primavera In A Saucepan

How to Make Vegan Pesto Primavera

Yes, you can make this vegan! The only thing you’ll need is it choose a dairy-free parmesan or use a homemade vegan parmesan.

Cook the pasta as directed, then remove it from the heat and stir in the vegan parmesan cheese.

Healthy Pasta Primavera In A Bowl

Tips for Success

Roasted vegetables not only give this pasta more flavor but there are so many veggies in this recipe that it makes for an easier and faster way to cook them.

The tomatoes are cooked separately because it encourages them to render their juices to add more sauce to the dish! You don’t have to cut them in half; they should break down and get soft in the oven on their own. If you want to slice them for aesthetics, then it’s fine to do so.

The pasta water is needed to help create the sauce. It’s not the same as regular water as it contains the starches from the cooked pasta that allows the pasta to cling to the sauce. In a pinch, you could use vegetable broth (like if you forget to reserve the pasta water). I often remove the pasta water during the last few minutes of cooking so I don’t forget about it when I go to drain the noodles!

What pasta is best for primavera?

I prefer penne for this pasta dish, but you can use another pasta. Rigatoni or another short, tubular pasta would be a good choice. If you choose to make a creamy or pesto version, then a longer noodle like a fettuccine would work.

Classic Pasta Primavera Recipe

Pasta Primavera Serving Suggestions

This is a complete meal in itself! If you wanted more vegetables, you could serve a side salad alongside.

It can also be served as a first course or as a side dish alongside your favorite protein for a fancy dinner or holiday dinner.

More Spring Pasta Recipes

More Asparagus Recipes

If you make this recipe, make sure to come back to leave a rating and a comment. Seeing you make my recipes makes my day, and your feedback helps other readers!

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Pasta Primavera Recipe

Healthy Pasta Primavera

  • Author: Alex Caspero
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Total Time: 55 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: dinner, pasta, healthy
  • Method: stove top, oven
  • Cuisine: American, Italian Inspired
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

Celebrate spring with this classic pasta primavera recipe! Penne pasta with fresh asparagus, zucchini, shallots, peas and tomatoes. With tips to make vegan pasta primavera, pesto primavera and creamy pasta primavera.


  • Author: Alex Caspero
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Total Time: 55 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: dinner, pasta, healthy
  • Method: stove top, oven
  • Cuisine: American, Italian Inspired
  • Diet: Vegetarian
  • Author: Alex Caspero
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Total Time: 55 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: dinner, pasta, healthy
  • Method: stove top, oven
  • Cuisine: American, Italian Inspired
  • Diet: Vegetarian
Scale

Ingredients

  • 16 ounces penne pasta
  • 2 cups cherry tomatoes
  • 1 large (or 2 small) shallots, sliced
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1 large zucchini, sliced thin
  • 1 pound asparagus, cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 1 cup peas, blanched if fresh and thawed if frozen
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup basil leaves, thinly sliced
  • Olive oil, salt, and pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Add tomatoes, shallot, and garlic to a baking dish and drizzle with olive oil, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Place in the oven and cook until soft, about 25 minutes.
  2. Spring the zucchini and asparagus onto a baking sheet and toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast until soft, about 20 minutes. (If using other hearty vegetables, like broccoli or peppers, add them here)
  3. While the veggies are roasting, boil a large pot of water. Add the pasta and cook until just al dente according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.
  4. Add the cooked pasta to a large saute pan or large skillet along with the roasted vegetables and peas. Toss with 1/4 cup of the pasta water until nice and glossy (IF you want a richer pasta, then I often add in a little unsalted butter here to help create a silky sauce)
  5. Turn off the heat and add in the parmesan cheese, basil, and lemon juice. Toss well to fully incorporate, season to taste, and serve.

Notes

  • See the blog post text for tips on substituting other vegetables!
  • To make a creamy pasta primavera or pesto primavera, see blog notes.

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Meet Alex Caspero

Alex Caspero is a Registered Dietitian, New York Times Bestselling Chef, and mom of two. She aims to cut through the nutrition noise by providing real-life, nourishing tips for body and mind. Learn more about Alex.

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