My Pasta Primavera is a staple during Spring; it celebrates the bounty of fresh, seasonal, and vibrant vegetables and is bursting with flavor!
It’s a light, refreshing pasta dish that is super easy to make. (Easy is always a must!)
It features a medley of red and yellow bell peppers, zucchini, yellow squash, cherry tomatoes, asparagus, carrots, and yellow onion, all roasted to perfection. The roasting process caramelizes the vegetables, bringing out their natural sweetness and adding a super yummy depth of flavor.
The pasta and vegetables are tossed in a garlic herb butter that I would happily eat on its own; it’s that good.
What is Pasta Primavera?
Primavera is an Italian phrase that means “Spring style,” and the culinary term refers to the use of fresh vegetables (raw or blanched) as garnishes for various dishes.
Pasta primavera is one of the most popular dishes prepared in this manner. It typically consists of pasta tossed or topped with diced or julienned cooked vegetables.
Some other recipes I’m loving this Spring are my Best Egg Salad Sandwich , Garlic Herb Cheese Bread , Green Goddess Pasta Salad , and Lemon Blueberry Pancakes !
Ingredient Notes
(For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card below)
Pasta Primavera might seem like a hyper-seasonal dish, but this veggie-filled, vibrant pasta can be made almost year-round with various vegetables. Here is what you will need:
- Pasta: I chose Farfalle (bow-tie pasta) for this recipe. However, you can use Penne, Fusilli, Linguine, or any spiral pasta.
- Parmesan cheese: I use a pre-grated Parmesan for ease, but you can certainly use fresh!
- Herbes de Provence: A versatile and aromatic spice commonly used in French cuisine & pairs wonderfully with these roasted veggies. The spice blend traditionally includes thyme, basil, rosemary, tarragon, savory, marjoram, oregano, bay leaf and dried lavender flowers.
- Herb butter: You will need softened butter, lemon zest, garlic, fresh basil, parsley, salt, and pepper.
- Carrots: You will need to julienne your carrots, which means cutting them into thin, matchstick strips.
- Zucchini : popular summer squash that can be found year-round in most supermarkets. Peak season is late Spring.
- Yellow Squash: Another delicious summer squash great for adding color to pasta primavera and is high in vitamins A and C and niacin.
- Bell Peppers: I love bell peppers’ sweet flavor and crisp, exceedingly juicy flesh. I prefer using red and yellow bell peppers in this dish, but you can use any of your favorites (green, purple, and brown are the other bell pepper colors!).
- Asparagus: The optimum season for fresh asparagus is February-June, although it can be found year-round in most regions. When buying asparagus, choose firm, bright green stalks with tight tips.
- Onion : I use yellow or white onions. When buying onions, choose ones that are heavy for their size with dry, papery skins with no signs of spotting or moistness. Be sure to avoid onions with soft spots.
- Cherry tomatoes: I love adding cherry tomatoes to the pasta because they are bright in color and flavor. The cherry tomatoes aren’t roasted; they simply get tossed into the pasta and veggies.
How to Make Pasta Primavera
(For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card below)
Step 1
Roast the veggies!
Step 2
Mix together the garlic herb butter.
Step 3
Add the roasted veggies to the pasta. Then add in cherry tomatoes, parmesan cheese, and the garlic herb butter. Toss to combine.
Step 4
Garnish, serve. and enjoy your life!
Does Pasta Primavera Have a Sauce?
- Most recipes toss the pasta and vegetables in a drizzle of olive oil, and some have a light Alfredo-type sauce.
- You can also reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water and add it to the pasta & veggies to loosen as desired.
- This recipe uses garlic lemon herb butter to coat the vegetables. You can make a creamy cheese sauce by adding heavy cream, chicken broth, and Parmesan.
Do you serve Pasta Primavera hot or cold?
- You can serve this healthy pasta primavera hot or cold. I like it best hot.
Tips for Making Pasta Primavera
- This recipe is a great way to eat all of the colorful vegetables and use what you have on hand. Plus, you can change up the vegetables ! Use green beans, corn, mushrooms, fennel, garlic, spring onions, broccoli, cauliflower, snap peas, hearty greens, broccolini, and more.
- Roast the veggies the day of, but do not roast them too long. You want them to hold up in the pasta.
- Enjoy this dish as is (vegetarian), or add in a protein ! Tofu, chicken, sausage, shrimp or beef.
- Use whole wheat pasta or lentil pasta for pasta that is more rich in fiber.
- When seasoning the vegetables, be generous with salt, pepper, and Herbes de Provence. It brings them to life!
More Healthy Pasta Dishes
Easy Shell Pasta with Ground Turkey
One-Pot Creamy Chicken Marsala Pasta
Shrimp Scampi Pasta
Avocado Pesto Pasta
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Pasta Primavera with Roasted Veggies
Ingredients
- 1 lb. pasta (farfalle/bowtie)
- 3 large carrots, julienned
- 2 small/medium zucchini, quartered
- 2 small/medium yellow squash, quartered
- 2 large bell peppers (red and yellow), sliced into matchsticks
- 1 lb. fresh asparagus (medium to thick stalks), trimmed and cut on a diagonal
- 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated or finely shredded
- 3 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 Tbsp. herbes de provence
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. pepper
For the garlic herb butter:
- 8 Tbsp. softened unsalted butter
- 1 Tbsp. lemon zest (zest from ~1 lemon)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Tbsp. fresh basil, minced
- 2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, minced
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450° F. Grab two baking sheets for the veggies. Cut up all of the veggies and line them on the baking sheets. Drizzle olive oil, salt, pepper and, Herbes de Provence all over the vegetables. Gently mix together. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes. 3 large carrots, julienned, 2 small/medium zucchini, quartered, 2 small/medium yellow squash, quartered, 2 large bell peppers (red and yellow), sliced into matchsticks, 1 lb. fresh asparagus (medium to thick stalks), trimmed and cut on a diagonal, 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced, 3 Tbsp. olive oil, 1 Tbsp. herbes de provence, 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. pepper
- Bring the water to boil for the pasta and cook the pasta al dente according to box directions. Drain pasta and set aside. 1 lb. pasta (farfalle/bowtie)
- Garlic herb butter: Add the softened butter, lemon zest, basil, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper into a medium-sized bowl. Mix until incorporated using a hand mixer. 8 Tbsp. softened unsalted butter, 1 Tbsp. lemon zest (zest from ~1 lemon), 2 cloves garlic, minced, 2 Tbsp. fresh basil, minced, 2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, minced, salt and pepper, to taste
- In a large serving bowl, mix the warm pasta with the roasted vegetables. Then add the cherry tomatoes, parmesan cheese, and garlic herb butter. 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved, 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated or finely shredded
- Toss until the pasta is coated evenly. Serve warm and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Storage: store in an air-tight container for up to 3-4 days.
- Reheat in the microwave or stovetop. You can add a splash of water to prevent it from drying out during reheating.
- Recipe Inspired by Giada
