This pasta primavera is a quick and easy vegetarian recipe bursting with flavor and nutrients! Made without cream, this recipe for Vegetable Primavera features crisp-tender veggies, tender pasta, and bright lemon sauce and is absolutely divine.
Pasta is seriously one of my favorite foods of all time. Especially pasta recipes that dance with flavor, like White Bean Pasta, Pasta Puttanesca, and this recipe for Vegetable Primavera.
Paired with warm bread, olive oil bread dip, and a tossed Greek salad, I am in a little bit of heaven!
Reasons to Love Pasta Primavera
- 30-Minute Dinner Recipe. In less than 30 minutes, you can have a wholesome family meal on the table that is easy enough for any night of the week.
- Filled with Veggies. Pasta Primavera is the ultimate vegetable pasta! It is made with fresh seasonal spring and/or summer veggies that make this dish not only nutrient-dense but super tasty.
- Versatile. You can make vegetable primavera using whatever vegetables your family likes or are in season.
- Kid-Friendly. The vegetables are cooked until just crisp-tender, so they retain some crunch, which makes this vegetable primavera much more appealing to kids than a dish with overcooked veggies.
- Wholesome Meal. This vegetarian pasta is filled with fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants. Not to mention flavor!
Notes on Key Ingredients
- Pasta: Rotini, penne, bowtie, or linguine work best for this pasta recipe.
- Shallots: For this primavera, I recommend using a shallot rather than an onion, as the shallot will flavor the dish, without overwhelming the vegetables.
- White Wine: A dry white wine, such as Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio, will add an incredible depth of acidity and flavor to the primavera. Just be sure to use a wine suitable for drinking, not a cooking wine, as the flavor is not the same.
- Broth: Use low-sodium store-bought or homemade vegetable broth or chicken stock.
- Lemon: A fresh lemon is ESSENTIAL for the primavera sauce. The zest and juice of the lemon give this dish a bright, fresh finish.
- Vegetables: You can use any mixture of fresh vegetables you have on hand, that are in season, or that your family likes. I recommend a combination of asparagus, bell peppers, broccoli florets, zucchini, sugar snap peas, and grape or cherry tomatoes. You may also like to add mushrooms, peas, carrots, or green beans.
- Seasoning: Because the lemon juice, wine, and vegetables add incredible flavor to this vegetable pasta, the only other additions you need to add are Italian Seasoning and minced garlic.
- Parmesan Cheese: Freshly grated parmesan cheese is best, as the flavor is superior to parmesan cheese found in a canister.
Recipe Modifications
- No Shallot? Feel free to replace the shallot with ½ small red or yellow minced onion.
- Gluten-Free Pasta Primavera: Use your favorite gluten-free pasta.
- Dairy-Free Pasta Primavera: Omit the cheese for a dairy-free version of this vegetable primavera.
- Omit the Wine: If you don't drink wine or prefer to keep the alcohol out, use additional broth.
How to Make Vegetable Primavera
The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step One: Cook Pasta. Cook your pasta in heavily salted boiling water for 1 minute less than the package directs. Drain off the pasta, reserving ½ cup of the cooking liquid which will be used to thin and flavor the sauce.
Kristen's Tip: While waiting for the water to boil, use that time to chop your vegetables. Then once you drop your pasta into the water, you can begin your primavera sauce.
Step Two: Saute Veggies. After you drop the pasta into the boiling water, saute the vegetables. This will ensure the pasta has finished cooking once the vegetables are crisp-tender.
Step Three: Add Wine and Garlic. Once the vegetables are crisp-tender, add the wine, garlic, and Italian seasoning and cook for 1-2 minutes, allowing the wine to reduce and the garlic to toast.
Step Four: Add Pasta. Add the cooked pasta, along with ¼ cup each of vegetable broth and cooking liquid, to the skillet and toss to coat. If needed, add up to ¼ cup of the pasta water to thin the sauce.
Step Five: Finish and Serve. To take the flavor of this vegetable pasta primavera over the top, add lemon zest, lemon juice, and parmesan cheese. These additions will make the dish pop and dance with flavor.
Storage Instructions
- Refrigerate: Allow the pasta primavera to cool slightly, transfer it to an airtight container, and store it for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
- Freeze: Pasta primavera is not a recipe that freezes well, due to the fresh vegetable and light sauce.
- Reheat: Because pasta absorbs liquid as it sits, you will want to add additional liquid, be it broth or water, to the pasta before reheating it to prevent your leftover vegetable pasta from tasting dried out. Simply add 1-2 tablespoons of broth or water per serving of pasta before reheating in the microwave for 1-2 minute intervals or in a skillet over medium-low heat. Taste add season with additional salt and olive oil before serving.
More Favorite Pasta Recipes
- Kale Pasta
- Shrimp Scampi Pasta
- Instant Pot Pasta Fagioli
- One-Pot Cajun Pasta with Chicken
- Baked Ravioli
- Easy Baked Rotini
If you tried this recipe for Vegetable Primavera, I would appreciate it if you left a comment and review below.
Vegetable Primavera
Ingredients
- 1 pound penne or bow-tie pasta
- 2 tablespoons salt for pasta water
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small shallot diced
- 1 small zucchini cut into ½ inch chunks
- 1 large yellow pepper thinly sliced
- 1 cup asparagus cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 cups fresh broccoli florets chopped
- 1 cup fresh sugar snap peas
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1 clove garlic minced about ½ teaspoon
- ¼ cup dry white wine or additional broth
- ¼ cup low-sodium vegetable broth or chicken stock
- ¼-½ cup reserved pasta water
- salt and pepper to taste
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus more for serving
- ½ cup grape tomatoes halved
- 1 large lemon zest and juice
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil. Once boiling, heavily salt the water, add the pasta, and cook the pasta for 1 minute less than the package directions. Once the pasta is just shy of being al dente, drain off the cooking water, reserving ½ cup of the cooking liquid for the sauce.
- While the pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is heated, add in shallots, peppers, asparagus, broccoli, sugar snap peas, zucchini, and Italian Seasoning. Saute for 4-5 minutes, or until vegetables are just crisp-tender.
- Add in the garlic and white wine and allow the wine to cook off for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Add ¼ cup of broth, ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water, and cooked pasta to the skillet and toss to coat. Add the additional ¼ cup of reserved pasta cooking liquid if the sauce appears dry. Continue to heat on medium heat until warmed through, just a minute or two.
- Turn off the heat and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the tomatoes, lemon juice, zest, and Parmesan cheese. Toss to coat.
- Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and additional parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published in 2018 but has been updated in 2020 with a new video and pictures.
Sharina
This vegetable pasta is so comfy and hearty! The vegetables are crispy yet tender and I love the hint of lemon on the pasta.
Kristen Chidsey
Thanks for sharing, Sharina!
Abby
Love that I was able to use so many vegetables I have grown in my garden. It turned out so delicious. Will make again!
Kristen Chidsey
Oh wonderful, Abby! Thanks for sharing!
Kristyn
I love that this is a healthier option. I also love the fresh & tasty flavor!!
Kristen Chidsey
So happy to hear you enjoyed Kristyn!
Lori
Definitely easy- love all of the veggies!
Kristen Chidsey
Glad you enjoyed.
Eden
We loved this pasta! Full of veggies and so good and easy to make. Thanks for sharing!!
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad you enjoyed Eden!
Krissy
This was so great! I love that it has all the awesome veggies in it and I'm going to add it to my menu again for next week.
Aimee Shugarman
This is such a delicious dinner idea. And adding in our favorite veggies give it a "custom" flavor 🙂
Kristen Chidsey
And you have to love when you can add in custom flavors that your family will actually enjoy 😉
Jacqueline DiNuoscio
This pasta is the perfect meal for summer!
Kristen Chidsey
I agree--perfect for those farm stand veggies (or home grown if you don't have a black thumb as I do!!) Enjoy!
Madi
I love pasta primavera! I can't wait to try this version out for dinner!
Kristen Chidsey
Let me know how you enjoy it Madi!