A green and delicious vegetable-filled pasta primavera with broccoli and asparagus. Linguine combined with peas, broccoli, asparagus, and zucchini with a bit of garlic in an easy sauce!
Looking for more delicious easy pasta recipes with vegetables? Try our Pasta with Peas and Pancetta or Italian Summer Pasta with Zucchini.
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Spring Primavera
The beginning of spring means Pasta Primavera and there is nothing like a green-as-can-be pasta dish! My goal with this recipe was to use all the green vegetables I could get my hands on. Of course, I left a few out, but this pasta not only includes broccoli and asparagus but has a combo of peas, green peppers, and zucchini. I even found a Chives and Spinach pack Linguine at Trader Joe's for the green theme!
Pasta primavera is a great side dish. It has the carbs and veggies you look for on the side of your Italian chicken cutlets. Pasta is usually the main attraction for me but this dish allows it to be the passenger in the meal as a side dish.
Pasta primavera is traditionally made with seasonal vegetables in the spring. So, pick whatever vegetables are in season near you and modify them as necessary.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Vegetables. Primavera is usually an assortment of seasonal vegetables. Choose whatever you have on hand or can pick out in your area.
Step-by-Step Directions
Step 1: In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Add salt and linguine once boiling. Boil until right before al dente. Save 1 cup of pasta water for the sauce.
Step 2: Heat olive oil on medium heat in a large saucepan until shimmering. Add in the broccoli, green peppers, and asparagus and saute for 8 minutes, or until softened. Salt as you go, so add a little salt with each ingredient that you add.
Step 3: Next, add in garlic and zucchini, and saute for 3-5 more minutes. Stir often so the garlic doesn't burn.
Step 4: Stir in the peas and the juice from one lemon and saute everything for 5 more minutes. The lemon will give the pasta a bright flavor and deglaze the bottom of the pan.
Step 5: Add ½ cup pasta water to the vegetables and simmer. Strain the linguine and add to the pan with the vegetables and combine. Stir in the basil, parmesan cheese, and the remaining ½ cup of pasta water and combine until slightly creamy. Remove from the pan and serve with extra parmesan cheese.
Pro-Tips
- Always use frozen peas. Canned peas will immediately turn to mush.
- The broccoli florets will need to be chopped into small pieces so that they soften by being sauteed.
Recipe FAQs
Any vegetable can be put in pasta primavera because primavera just means Spring and the goal is just to fill the dish with seasonal vegetables. Whatever your style is should help you decide. My whole goal with this dish was for it to be an all-green pasta primavera. You can make a colorful primavera with yellow squash, cherry tomatoes, green beans, and mushrooms.
You can put cream in the pasta primavera, but the cream is very heavy, and I like to keep my pasta primavera light. Olive oil, lemon, parmesan cheese, and pasta water create enough of a sauce that you won't need the cream.
Pasta primavera will always be a side dish in my head. I love to serve it with Chicken Spiedini or grilled lemon chicken thighs. Pasta primavera with broccoli and asparagus is also great in the spring and the summer when I'm grilling. It is the perfect match to join the plate of a greek chicken burger or a mushroom gruyere grilled cheese.
More Vegetable Pasta Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Pasta Primavera with Broccoli and Asparagus
Equipment
- 1 large saucepan
- 1 large pot
Ingredients
- ½ lb linguine
- 1 head broccoli chopped into florets
- 1 small zucchini, sliced
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 bunch asparagus, chopped in thirds
- 1 green pepper, sliced
- 1 handful basil, julienned
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lemon
- 1 cup parmesan
- 1 cup pasta water
- 4 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a large pot bring water to a boil. Add salt and linguine once boiling. Boil until right before al dente. Save 1 cup of pasta water.
- In a large saucepan, heat olive oil on medium heat until shimmering. Saute broccoli, green peppers, and asparagus for 8 minutes, or until softened. Then add in garlic and zucchini, and saute for 3-5 more minutes. Stir often so the garlic doesn't burn.
- Stir in the peas and the juice from one lemon and saute everything for 5 more minutes. Add ½ cup pasta water. Strain the linguine and add to the pan with the vegetables. Add basil, parmesan cheese, and the remaining ½ cup of pasta water and combine until slightly creamy. Remove from the pan and serve with extra parmesan cheese.
Notes
- Always use frozen peas. Canned peas will immediately turn to mush.
- The broccoli florets will need to be chopped into small pieces so that they soften by being sauteed.
Vinny
This is a delicious veggie filled pasta that is grate for a weeknight meal! Hope you enjoy!