Description
Pasta Primavera is a vibrant and fresh Italian-inspired dish featuring linguine pasta tossed with a medley of colorful spring vegetables like broccolini, snow peas, asparagus, cherry tomatoes, and peas. Enriched with a creamy sauce made from butter and heavy cream, and finished with Parmigiano Reggiano, toasted pine nuts, and fresh basil, this recipe delivers a comforting yet light pasta perfect for a quick, healthy weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 300g / 10 oz linguine (fettuccine or other long flat pasta)
Vegetables
- 150g / 5 oz white mushrooms, sliced 0.4cm / 1/6″ thick (~8 pieces)
- 1/2 large zucchini, cut into 0.5cm / 0.2″ rounds (100g/4 oz)
- 1 bunch broccolini
- 1 1/2 cup snow peas (~10 pieces, 75g/2.5 oz)
- 1 bunch green asparagus (~8 to 10 stalks)
- 1 cup green peas, defrosted
- 10 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
Dairy & Oils
- 5 tbsp / 75 g unsalted butter
- 1 cup thickened / heavy cream
- 1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated (or regular parmesan)
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Other
- 1/3 cup pasta cooking water, reserved before draining
- 1 tsp cooking or kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, finely sliced
- 2 tbsp pine nuts, toasted
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the linguine and cook until al dente according to package instructions, usually around 8-10 minutes. Before draining, reserve 1/3 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and set aside.
- Prepare the vegetables: While the pasta cooks, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced mushrooms, zucchini rounds, broccolini cut into bite-sized pieces, snow peas, trimmed asparagus, and garlic. Sauté the vegetables until tender-crisp, about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add cherry tomatoes and green peas: Toss in the halved cherry tomatoes and defrosted green peas into the skillet with the other vegetables. Cook for an additional 2 minutes to warm them through without overcooking.
- Create the creamy sauce: Push the vegetables to one side of the pan and add the butter to the cleared space. Once melted, pour in the heavy cream and stir to combine, allowing it to simmer gently for 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened. Season the sauce with salt and black pepper.
- Toss pasta and finish the dish: Add the cooked linguine directly into the skillet with the creamy vegetables. Pour in the reserved pasta cooking water gradually to loosen the sauce as needed. Stir in the grated Parmigiano Reggiano and roasted pine nuts, mixing well to coat the pasta evenly. Finish by folding in the fresh sliced basil leaves.
- Serve immediately: Plate the pasta primavera while hot, optionally garnishing with extra parmesan and pine nuts for added texture and flavor.
Notes
- Use linguine, fettuccine, or any other long flat pasta for best texture and sauce coating.
- Lightly sauté vegetables to maintain their vibrant color and crunch.
- Reserve pasta water to adjust sauce consistency and help the sauce cling to the pasta.
- To toast pine nuts, heat in a dry pan over low heat until fragrant and golden, about 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
- Fresh basil adds a bright, herbal note—add it at the end to preserve flavor and color.
