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
- 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.
- Sauté vegetables – cook the asparagus, broccoli, zucchini, and mushrooms in a large skillet until tender.
- 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.
- Use freshly-grated Parmesan – for best results, hand grate the Parmesan yourself so it melts better.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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!
Spring Pasta Primavera
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 lb fresh asparagus, ends trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1-1/2 cups fresh broccoli, cut into 1/2-inch florets
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms
- 1 small zucchini, ends trimmed and thinly sliced
- 3 medium cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup firmly-packed baby spinach
- 1 cup frozen peas
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 12 oz dry fettuccine pasta
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 3/4 cup 2% or skim milk
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
- 3 tablespoons minced fresh basil
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and swirl to coat bottom. Add asparagus, broccoli, mushrooms, and zucchini and saute 3-5 minutes until vegetables are tender.
- Add garlic, cherry tomatoes, spinach, and peas to vegetables and cook 2-3 additional minutes until spinach is wilted. Season vegetables with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
- Cook pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve 3/4 cup pasta cooking water and drain pasta. Set aside.
- Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook 1-2 minutes until golden-brown. Slowly drizzle in heavy cream and milk until smooth. Stir sauce over medium heat until bubbly and thickened. Remove sauce from heat and whisk in Parmesan, lemon zest, and basil. Season sauce with salt and pepper to taste.
- Fold pasta and sautéed vegetables into sauce until evenly coated, thinning with a few splashes of pasta water as needed until sauce is loosened and clinging to pasta and vegetables. Season primavera with salt and pepper to taste and serve warm. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
This post was updated with new recipe adjustments and photos on 3/13/25.
Kara Mathys @Wellnessgrit says
Wow, this springtime veggie pasta primavera looks yummy! I love your recipe because it contains healthy ingredients! I’ll try it! Thanks a lot for sharing Sarah!
Kathleen says
The fresh veggies look yummy. I must try this! thanks for sharing.
john says
i really like your blog keep posting worthy stuff
Rimmy says
This was a great, easy recipe. I used the vegetables I had on hand; zucchini, green beans, fresh garlic, tomatoes, and even added some chicken breast pieces I cooked before the vegetables then set aside and added with everything at the end. This recipe is so easy and delicious, I’ve made this a few times now!
Sarah says
That sounds amazing, Rimmy! So glad you enjoyed this pasta. 🙂
Riya says
This is even making a pasta a healthier dish
Loved the taste and look of it
Susan Dubose says
Simple and easy. I use it as a way to clean out the veggie bin…I just toss in whatever I have on hand, and it works out well. I’ve added more asparagus, tomatoes, etc.
Richard Tunner says
Beautiful! And looks so delicious and healthy. I’ll be making this real soon.
mike says
Great for the season!
Anthony Allen says
Beautiful! And looks so delicious and healthy. I’ll be making this real soon.
Whits@amusebouche says
Nice way to mix up your pasta with summer vegetables.
Christina Moore says
Not exactly summertime veggie, because I can eat it any time I want it. Extra special recipe that delighted my daily meal. New style cooking of pasta. Urgh! Love it.
Sophie Anderson says
Nice way to mix up your pasta with summer vegetables.
Malissa says
Absolutely delicious! We added some minced garlic and increased the amount of vegetables. Great “welcome to spring” recipe!
Peter Crouch says
This salad is awesome.
I like so much
Peter Crouch says
can i contact you via email?