This easy Pasta Primavera recipe is packed with fresh veggies and a creamy primavera sauce. It's fresh, healthy, and on your table in just 20 minutes.
If you love pasta, try our Tuscan Chicken Pasta, Sun-dried Tomato Pasta, Fettuccine Alfredo, Pastalaya, Pasta Carbonara, Crock Pot Baked Ziti, or Peanut Noodles.
Why I love this pasta dish:
- 30 Minute Meal – Less than a half hour and it's on the table, ready to enjoy. Whipping up a homemade meal doesn't have to be time consuming or complicated, and it always beats anything from a drive-thru.
- All the Veg – Use your favorite veggies or what you have on hand. I love to add broccolini, bell pepper, snap peas, and cherry tomatoes.
- The Sauce – The sauce is simple and creamy, but not heavy tasting at all. For an even lighter version you can leave the sauce off and toss the pasta and veggies in olive oil, melted butter, fresh parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.
How to make Pasta Primavera:
Cook Pasta until al dente and set aside.
Sauté Veggies in oil with fresh garlic. Cook just until slightly tender.
Make Pasta Primavera Sauce: Add butter, chicken broth, and cream to a pan. Bring to a simmer then stir in cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
Toss: Add cooked pasta and veggies to the pan, toss, and top with fresh basil.
Recipe Variations:
- Add Protein: Feel free to toss in cooked chicken, tofu, or sautéed shrimp.
- Add Veggies: Use whatever you have on hand. Zucchini, squash, and broccoli are all great additions.
- Swap the Noodles: Any type of pasta is great for creamy pasta primavera. I am partial to bite sized pasta like penne, farfalle, or small shells, but use whatever you have on hand.
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Recipe
Pasta Primavera
Ingredients
- 1 pound penne pasta (or other pasta)
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 clove garlic , minced
- 3 to 4 cups chopped veggies of choice (snap peas, broccolini, bell peppers, mushrooms, zucchini, onion, asparagus, peas, spinach, cherry tomatoes)
Sauce:
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 2/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (or half and half)
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese ,or more, to taste
- salt and freshly ground black pepper , to taste
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves , chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Cook Pasta according to package instructions. Set aside.
- Sauté Veggies: Add olive oil to a large skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add veggies, season them with a little salt and pepper, and sauté for about 2-4 minutes, just until slightly tender. You don't want to cook them too long. Remove to a plate.
- Sauce: Add butter to pan. Add chicken broth and cream and bring to a simmer. Stir in cheese. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. If the sauce seems too thick, add more chicken broth, cream or water, to your liking.
- Combine: Add cooked pasta and veggies to the pan then toss to combine. Top with fresh basil, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
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I originally shared this recipe April 2017. Updated April 2021 and March 2024.
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How many cups of vegetables would you add for the recipe as written? I’m trying to decide how much sauce that covers depending on the amount of veggies, plus I’m going to add a protein, so I don’t want to come up short.
Really easy, delicious recipe perfect for summer nights! We made this with mushrooms, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, peas and red bell peppers. My toddler loved it and also got a ton of veggies. We made it with half and half. Definitely keeping this recipe in rotation.
So yummy, whole family loved it! I love how easy it is to make and how flexible/versatile it is too!
Absolutely delicious! Such a beautiful dish and you could never have enough veggies in my opinion. The is a keeper.
This is a great meal especially when you need dinner in a hurry! I like to add black olives and I always keep a jar of roasted red peppers 9n hand ! Delicious!
This was a great recipe! I have a love-hate relationship with veggies. Meaning I hate more of them than I love! When a recipe author says to add any veggies you like I go blank. Thank you, thank you for your list of suggested veggies to use. I jumped right on this. You made it sooo easy for me. You already know what this recipe tastes like and you doubled my choices. Thanks for a great new recipe!
Amazing. My meat loving husband went back for thirds!
We loved this pasta and it’s so easy to make! This one is a keeper for sure!
That picture seriously screams SPRING for me. WHICH MAKES SENSE BECAUSE
Pasta Primavera translates to “Spring Pasta”
I had no idea for all these years, haha!
This is one of my weeknight favorites. So simple and oh so yummy! Even my picky son likes it.