Spring Pasta Primavera

Loaded with a rainbow of spring vegetables and tossed in a creamy Parmesan sauce, this spring pasta primavera is easy to throw together and a beautiful pasta dish for any occasion.

Pasta dishes like this one were made for spring and an approximate rainbow of veggies gets the job done very right.

If you’ve never tried pasta primavera at home you’re seriously missing out and I’m about to introduce you to the newest item on your regular rotation.

The best part about a pasta primavera is that anything goes in the veggie department! You and mix and match vegetables at your leisure depending on what you have in the fridge and it will still turn out wonderful every time.

Trust me, this is about to be your new pasta addiction.

This Pasta Primavera features…

• Sauteed asparagus, broccoli, zucchini, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, spinach, and peas
• A light and creamy lemon basil Parmesan sauce
• Tender fettuccine pasta

Making the Pasta Primavera

(scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe)

Ingredients You Will Need

• Olive oil
• Asparagus
• Broccoli
• Mushrooms
• Zucchini
• Garlic
• Cherry tomatoes
• Baby spinach
• Frozen peas
• Fettuccine pasta
• Unsalted butter
• All-purpose flour
• Heavy whipping cream
• 2% or skim milk
• Parmesan cheese
• Lemon zest
• Basil

Choosing Your Vegetables

We’re going to be using quite the rainbow of vegetables in this pasta! The good news is that you can use as much or as little and basically any kind of vegetables as you want.

I like to use a mix of spring vegetables including asparagus, broccoli, peas, spinach, zucchini, mushrooms, and cherry tomatoes, but the sky’s the limit depending on what you have on hand. This pasta would also be amazing with sweet peppers, snow peas, fresh kale, shallot, green beans, etc.

Tips for Perfect Pasta Primavera

1. Cut vegetables in uniform size – for best results, try to get all the vegetables the same recommended size in the recipe so they cook evenly.
2. Sauté vegetables – cook the asparagus, broccoli, zucchini, and mushrooms in a large skillet until tender.
3. Add garlic, spinach, cherry tomatoes, and peas at end of cooking – these ingredients don’t need to cook for very long so they’re better suited added to the other vegetables at the end of cooking.
4. Use freshly-grated Parmesan – for best results, hand grate the Parmesan yourself so it melts better.
5. Cook pasta to al dente – boil the pasta only to al dente as it will continue to cook a bit once added to the sauce.
6. Reserve pasta cooking water – this will be used to help thin and loosen up the sauce a bit helping it cling to the pasta and vegetables.
7. Add fresh basil and lemon zest at end of cooking – these two ingredients add a final pop of freshness to the pasta.

Recipe Variations

Try these ideas for a different twist on this primavera.

• Use a different pasta shape – try penne, rigatoni, spiral, or shells.
• Add meat – for a meaty kick, add crispy bacon bits or diced cooked chicken.
• Try a different cheese – try grated asiago in place of the Parmesan.
• Use more fresh herbs – try adding fresh dill, parsley, or chives.

One forkful of this primavera and you’ll never be tempted to order it from a restaurant again! The vegetables make it so hearty while the lemon basil cream sauce adds just a touch of indulgence.

Just make sure you do things the right way and cover your bowl with entirely way too much fresh Parm.

Save this recipe using the ‘save to recipe box’ button below. If you make it, please let us know! Leave a comment + star rating below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram with #wholeandheavenlyoven.

More veggie-packed dinners to make next!

• Vegetarian Pad Thai
• Grilled Zucchini and Peppers
• Thai Basil Beef Stir Fry

This post was updated with new recipe adjustments and photos on 3/13/25.