Creamy Pasta Primavera (Printable version)
Luscious pasta tossed with fresh spring vegetables in a creamy, flavorful sauce.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 ounces penne or fettuccine pasta
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 medium zucchini, sliced into half-moons
03 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
04 - 1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
05 - 1 medium carrot, julienned
06 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
07 - 1 cup sugar snap peas, trimmed
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Sauce
09 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
10 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
11 - 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream
12 - 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
13 - Zest of 1 lemon
14 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Garnish
15 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
16 - Additional grated Parmesan cheese, optional
# How to Prepare:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain pasta and set aside.
02 - Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
03 - Add zucchini, red and yellow bell peppers, and carrot to the skillet. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
04 - Stir in sugar snap peas and halved cherry tomatoes. Continue cooking for another 2 to 3 minutes until vegetables are tender but still vibrant.
05 - Reduce heat to low. Pour in heavy cream and lemon zest, stirring to combine. Simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes.
06 - Add cooked pasta to the skillet with vegetables and sauce. Sprinkle in grated Parmesan cheese and toss to coat evenly, adding reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce.
07 - Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Remove from heat and fold in chopped fresh basil.
08 - Serve immediately, garnished with additional Parmesan and basil if desired.
# Expert advice:
01 -
- It comes together in 40 minutes, making it perfect for a weeknight dinner when you want something that tastes like you spent hours on it.
- Every vegetable stays slightly crisp and colorful, not mushy, so it actually looks as good as it tastes.
- The cream and Parmesan create a silky sauce that coats the pasta without being heavy or one-note.
02 -
- Don't overcrowd the skillet when sautéing vegetables—if they're piled on top of each other, they steam instead of sauté, and they'll turn soft and pale instead of caramelized and vibrant.
- The pasta water is your friend; a starchy splash does more to help the sauce cling to the pasta than cream alone.
- Add the basil at the very end and off heat, otherwise the residual warmth turns it dark and bitter.
03 -
- Buy a microplane grater and zest the lemon fresh right over the cream—pre-zested lemon loses its volatile oils and won't give you that bright flavor punch.
- If you find the sauce too thick, resist the urge to add more cream; add pasta water instead, which will emulsify and make the sauce silkier without making it heavier.