This 30-minute pasta primavera is bold in color and flavor! It’s an easy, fresh, and delicious pasta dish with loads of veggies tossed in a light lemon Parmesan sauce.
Easy Recipe for Pasta Primavera
This colorful pasta dish is made with fresh spring veggies and buttery pasta noodles tossed in a light sauce made of lemon juice and Parmesan cheese.
It’s lighter than lemon chicken fettuccine but can be bulked up with your favorite protein.
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Easy Pasta Primavera Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 8 ounces penne pasta , dry
- 2-3 Tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ red onion , sliced
- 2 cups broccoli , chopped
- 1 medium red bell pepper , thinly sliced into matchsticks
- 1 medium yellow squash , sliced and then quartered
- 1 medium zucchini , sliced and then quartered
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 4 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 cup grape tomatoes , halved lengthwise
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ¼ cup pasta water , reserved from cooking pasta
- 3 Tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese , more if desired
- chopped parsley or basil
- salt and pepper , to taste
Instructions
- Boil pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup and then drain.
- In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Sauté the red onion and bell pepper for 3 – 4 minutes.
- Add broccoli, squash and zucchini and continue to sauté for 3 more minutes, or until veggies are almost softened.
- Make a well in the middle of the vegetables and add butter. Add garlic to butter and cook until soft, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Sauté for 2 more minutes.
- Drizzle lemon juice and about 3-4 Tablespoons reserved pasta water into the pasta to loosen. Then add in vegetables and 1/4 cup parmesan cheese and parsley.
- Serve with remaining parmesan on top.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Why This Recipe Works
- The veggies are hidden. The zesty Parmesan and lemon juice give this pasta so much flavor your kids will be gobbling up their veggies without a second thought!
- Quick and customizable. Toss this 30-minute dish together using whatever veggies you have on hand. It’s just as easy as baked tomato and feta pasta.
Substitutions and Variations
- Add a splash of heavy cream. It won’t be heavy like Alfredo sauce but it will add a bit of creaminess and blend nicely with the Parmesan cheese.
- Swap the penne with fusilli or rigatoni. If you enjoy an easy pasta salad, you can use orecchiette and serve this cold!
- Use other veggies: Substitute asparagus for the broccoli. Or add diced carrot, green beans, frozen peas, and sliced mushrooms.
- For extra flavor, sprinkle the finished pasta with lemon zest and serve with chopped fresh basil leaves. You can also add red pepper flakes for heat.
How to Make Pasta Primavera
Cook pasta and reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water. In a large skillet sauté red onion and bell pepper for 3-4 minutes. Add the remaining veggies and sauté for another 3 minutes.
Make a well in the middle of the veggies and add the butter and garlic. Cook for about 30 seconds until soft. Add tomatoes and seasoning then sauté for another couple of minutes.
Drizzle the pasta with lemon juice and reserved pasta water. Toss in the veggies, Parmesan, and parsley and stir. Serve with even more Parmesan on top.
Expert Tips
- Cook the pasta and sauté the veggies at once so they finish cooking at the same time.
- Remember to salt the water. It’s the key to great flavor in your pasta.
- Cook pasta to al dente or fully cooked, just not overcooked!
- Same with the veggies. They should be tender yet crisp.
Serving Suggestions
Primavera pasta isn’t meant to be heavy but it’s still a pasta dish! This means garlic bread is a must!
Bruschetta caprese is another idea. Sometimes I’ll use it as an appetizer and keep the best Caesar salad or kale quinoa salad as a side dish.
When I want to serve this vegetable pasta as part of a bigger meal, it’s great on the side of chicken Francese!
Recipe FAQs
Originating in the 1970s, this American dish has an Italian name, meaning spring pasta, because a couple of chefs traveled to the Canadian summer home of an Italian gentleman and started experimenting with ingredients.
The dish they ended up bringing back to New York City, originally contained cream, butter, cheese, and veggies, but we’re lightening ours up without the cream.
I’m all about quick, easy, and family-friendly, so whatever you’ve got on hand is just fine! Penne is the most popular, but fusilli, rigatoni, bowtie, or any of the choices above are great.
Absolutely! Adding grilled chicken or shrimp would be fantastic. You can also use shredded chicken breasts or leftover rotisserie chicken.
Keep leftover primavera in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a skillet with a bit of oil.
More vegetarian pasta recipes we love include Orzo salad, Caprese pasta bake and sheet pan gnocchi.
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Categorized as: 30 Minute Meals, 30 Minute Meals, American, Dinner, Pasta, Vegetarian, Vegetarian
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
Super easy and so delicious!
Thanks for the review of the primavera pasta Barb!
This is a great summer recipe!! It’s so light & tastes delicious! You can make it even more hearty & add chicken. We love it!
This was a colorful and delicious meal! I loved the mix of fresh veggies, especially the broccoli and bell pepper. The lemon juice and parmesan added a lovely tangy flavor. Perfect for our summer dinner!
Just delicious. It’s a yummy way to get my kids to eat their veggies!
We loved this pasta primavera! Even the kids ate all the veggies which was a huge win!