One-Pot Pasta Primavera

Finished with bright and citrusy lemon butter and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, this warm-weather pasta primavera is perfection. Better yet, you only need one pot for this recipe.

Where once I’d pounce on a chef-made bowl of al dente pasta and crisp-tender vegetables, now it’s a dish I prefer to make at home. Using what’s fresh and new at the market, I slice and dice carrots, bell peppers, peas, spring onions and baby Broccolini before tossing them into a pot to quickly cook with penne pasta.

Finished with bright and citrusy lemon butter and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, this pasta primavera is perfection for a warm-weather supper. And the best part? I can enjoy it from the comfort of my own porch — no restaurant required.

What is pasta primavera?

Unsurprisingly, the 1970s lay claim to the “invention” of this pasta and vegetable dish. After the decades where condensed soup casseroles ruled at home and rich French cuisine was the go-to in restaurants, the pendulum finally swung the other way.

Disco-era chefs in New York looked to Italy for inspiration, where families had combined fresh spring vegetables with pasta for generations. The word “primavera” means springtime in Italian. In an era before seasonal cooking was commonplace, pasta primavera was the recipe to order for the best and brightest of spring vegetables.

Early incarnations of this dish call for an Alfredo-like sauce, which I find too heavy and overwhelming for tender spring vegetables. Instead, brighten the starch-thickened sauce with some lemon and a handful of Parmesan cheese. As the penne cooks, the noodles peek out from the diminishing water level, thickening the liquid with the pasta’s starch. This starchy liquid is the beginning of a light, silky sauce. Stir the garlic-lemon butter in until it melts into a lemony sauce, lightly dressing the pasta and vegetables.

Why you’ll love my pasta primavera

One-pot wonder. To keep it weeknight-friendly, this easy vegetable and pasta dish is cooked in one large Dutch oven or pasta pot.
It’s got a variety of vegetables. The key to pasta primavera is using the freshest vegetables available. We call for a variety of vegetables that add texture, color, and flavor, but this is just a guide. Toss in any variety that catches your eye during your weekly market shop.
The garlic-lemon butter is simple and flavorful. Mash garlic, lemon zest, and butter together to stir into the starchy cooking liquid to make a light sauce. A sprinkling of Parmesan adds just the right level of saltiness.

Key ingredients in pasta primavera

Veggies: We use a variety of vegetables here — asparagus, zucchini, carrots, bell pepper, Broccolini, sugar snap peas, cherry tomatoes, and peas — but feel free to use any veggies you want. Cut the vegetables down to a size where they cook together quickly. Take carrots and sweet English peas: Typically carrots take longer to cook than the peas, so here we’re thinly slicing the carrots, cutting them thinner and smaller so they cook in the same two minutes as the rest of the vegetables. As a rule of thumb, trim vegetables to 1/2- to 1-inch pieces. If in doubt, set your knife down and simply consider how that vegetable will fit on your fork.
Short pasta: We also find that a better way to serve pasta primavera means swapping the traditional strands of angel hair pasta for a short pasta, such as penne rigate, fusilli, or orecchiette. The long strands of angel hair are incompatible with chunky bites of vegetables, while the short shapes mimic the size of the trimmed vegetables and cook in just eight to 10 minutes.
Butter: You’ll need unsalted butter for the flavorful garlic-lemon butter, which is the foundation for the light sauce.
Parmesan cheese: The pasta is finished with grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving.

Make-ahead and storage tips

Make ahead: Vegetables can be chopped and refrigerated in an airtight container up to 1 day in advance.
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 cloves garlic, smashed
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
12 ounces dried short pasta, such as penne rigate, fusilli, or orecchiette
4 cups hot water
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
Pinch red pepper flakes

For the veggies:

1 medium shallot, minced
6 asparagus spears, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces on the diagonal
1 small zucchini, diced
1 cup julienned carrots (about 3 ounces)
3/4 cup diced orange or yellow bell pepper
1 1/4 cups Broccolini (about 3 ounces), trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup sugar snap peas, strings removed and halved on the diagonal (about 2 ounces)
1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas
10 cherry tomatoes, halved

Directions:

Mince and mash two garlic cloves and 1/2 teaspoon of the kosher salt together to make a paste. Transfer to a small bowl, add 4 tablespoons of the room temperature unsalted butter and 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest, and mash together until combined; set aside.
Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. Add one medium minced shallot and sauté until softened and beginning to brown, 2 to 3 minutes.
Add 12 ounces dried short pasta, 4 cups hot water, and remaining 2 teaspoons salt. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat back to medium-high, uncover, and cook until the pasta is al dente, about 8 minutes. Stir the pasta occasionally, loosening noodles that stick to the bottom or sides of the pot.
Add six chopped asparagus spears, one diced small zucchini, 1 cup julienned carrots, 3/4 cup diced bell pepper, 1 1/4 cups chopped Broccolini, 1/2 cup halved sugar snap peas, and 1/2 cup peas. Stir and cook uncovered until the vegetables are crisp-tender and the cooking liquid has reduced into a starchy sauce, about 2 minutes.
Stir in 10 halved cherry tomatoes, 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, and the garlic-lemon butter. Once the cheese and butter are melted, the cooking liquid should be significantly reduced, leaving only a silky, buttery sauce. Serve in bowls garnished with red pepper flakes, 2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil leaves, and more Parmesan cheese.

Patty Catalano is a food editor for TheKitchn.com, a nationally known blog for people who love food and home cooking. Submit any comments or questions to editorial@thekitchn.com.

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