Italian
Pasta Primavera
Short pasta is tossed with sautéed spring vegetables and a light garlic and Parmesan finish. It tastes fresh and savory, with the vegetables still a little crisp and the noodles lightly coated.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
Why you’ll love it
- The vegetables are cooked in stages so none of them turn to mush.
- Pasta water makes a light sauce with the olive oil and cheese.
- Garlic is the seasoning, not a heavy cream.
- Cherry tomatoes burst just enough to add juice.
Ingredients
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Instructions
- 1
Boil the penne in water with 1 teaspoon of the salt until just tender. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain.
- 2
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. If the oil smokes, turn the heat off and let the pan cool slightly before continuing.
- 3
Add the broccoli and cook 3 minutes. Add the zucchini and garlic and cook 2 minutes more.
- 4
Add the cherry tomatoes, peas, remaining salt, and black pepper. Cook until the tomatoes soften, about 2 minutes, over heat around 325°F in the pan.
- 5
Add the penne and a splash of pasta water. Toss until a light sauce forms.
- 6
Turn off the heat, stir in the Parmesan and basil, and serve.
Pro tips
- Keep the broccoli in small florets so it cooks with the zucchini.
- Frozen peas only need to heat through; they are already cooked.
- Add cheese off the heat so it does not clump.
Easy substitutions
- penne
- farfalle
- Parmesan cheese
- pecorino Romano
- zucchini
- asparagus cut into short pieces
Storage and reheating
Storage
Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days.
Reheating
Reheat in a skillet with a splash of water until the pasta and vegetables are hot.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 422
- Protein
- 16 g
- Carbs
- 58 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fiber
- 7 g
Moderate · Stovetop
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