Creamy Pasta Primavera
This pasta primavera might be the prettiest pasta on my table — so many colorful vegetables in a sauce with heavy cream and Parmesan cheese. I love how the sauce lightly coats the strands of pasta, and the rainbow of veggies keeps it interesting in every season.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 ounces fettuccine pasta or spaghetti, penne or other pasta shape
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot or yellow onion
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic 1-2 cloves
- 1 carrot peeled and sliced into matchsticks
- 2 cups broccoli florets 4 ounces
- ½ pound 2-inch fresh asparagus spears
- 1 cup sliced red bell pepper red, orange or a mixture
- 1½ cups heavy whipping cream
- Kosher salt
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup peas fresh or frozen
- Grated fresh lemon zest
- ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves or chopped parsley
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water generously (about 1 tablespoon kosher salt per quart of water), and add 8 ounces fettuccine pasta. Cook until al dente according to package directions. Drain and keep warm.
- Put 4 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil in a large (12-inch) skillet and place over medium heat. When the butter melts, stir in 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot and 2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic. Cook until aromatic, about 1 minute.
- Add the carrots to the pan. Cook 3-4 minutes, until they turn bright orange.
- Stir in 2 cups broccoli florets and ½ pound 2-inch fresh asparagus spearsCover the pan and let them steam 4-5 minutes, until they're bright green. Remove the lid.
- Add 1 cup sliced red bell pepper to the skillet, stirring and cooking 1-2 minutes. Pour in 1½ cups heavy whipping cream and season with 1 teaspoon salt. Turn up the heat to medium-high and bring the cream to a boil. Cook the sauce about 5 minutes, until it looks thickened.
- Stir the 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes, 1 cup peas, and ½ cup of the Parmesan cheese into the sauce, then remove from the heat. Add the pasta and gently stir to coat the strands with the sauce. Add grated fresh lemon zest.
- Transfer to a serving bowl (or serve straight from the pan). Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup cheese and ¼ cup fresh basil leaves over the pasta and serve right away.
Video
Notes
- This dish comes together in minutes, but the key is to have your vegetables prepped before you start cooking.
- Mix and match a variety of colorful vegetables (you'll want about 6 cups total). Try green beans (cut into 2-inch pieces), sliced zucchini, snap peas or snow peas, yellow squash, yellow or orange tomatoes. Saute sturdier vegetables, such as green beans, before adding in the more tender ones.
- For the pasta, you can try any type of long pasta such as fettuccine, tagliatelle, or spaghetti, or a short pasta shape like penne, shells or farfalle (bowtie pasta).
- If you have leftovers, refrigerate in storage container up to 3 days. Keep in mind that the pasta will absorb the cream as it cools. Leftover pasta primavera won't be as saucy, but will still taste great!
Nutrition
Calories: 506kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 14gFat: 42gSodium: 403mgFiber: 6gSugar: 11g
