Creamy Pasta Primavera (Print View)
A vibrant creamy pasta primavera featuring fresh spring vegetables and a luscious sauce.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 oz 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 tbsp olive oil
10 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
11 - 3/4 cup + 1 tbsp 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 tbsp chopped fresh basil
16 - Additional grated Parmesan, as desired
# How to Make:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain 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. Cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes until tender yet vibrant.
05 - Reduce heat to low. Pour in heavy cream and add 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 Parmesan cheese and toss to coat evenly, adding reserved pasta water as necessary to loosen the sauce.
07 - Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Remove from heat and fold in chopped fresh basil. Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan and basil if desired.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- It comes together in forty minutes, so you can have dinner ready before you've finished telling someone about your day.
- The vegetables stay vibrant and crisp, which means every bite actually tastes like spring instead of tasting like you boiled things into submission.
- It's the kind of dish that feels fancy enough to impress someone, but honestly and truly easy enough that you'll make it on a random Tuesday night.
02 -
- Don't add the basil until the very end—it will wilt and turn dark green if you cook it, and all that fresh brightness disappears.
- That pasta water really is essential; it's the difference between a separated greasy sauce and one that clings to everything evenly.
- If your sauce seems too thick, add pasta water a little at a time rather than adding more cream, which can make it heavy and overpower the vegetables.
03 -
- Grate your Parmesan fresh right before cooking rather than using pre-grated, because the anti-caking agents in the box keep the cheese from melting as smoothly into the sauce.
- The lemon zest is where the magic lives, so don't skip it thinking it's optional—it's the brightness that keeps a creamy sauce from feeling heavy and dull.