This light and creamy pasta primavera makes the perfect spring dinner! Tender pasta and spring vegetables are kissed with a light cream sauce infused with lemon and herbs.
During the spring months, when asparagus is tender and fresh, I love making this pasta primavera recipe. It practically sings of spring! This recipe is creamy, yet wonderfully light, made with “true spring veggies” (asparagus, peas, and leeks), lemon zest, and fresh herbs. It comes together in under 30 minutes, and it is such a beautiful way to celebrate the season!
In Italian, Pasta Primavera translates to Spring Pasta, but contrary to popular belief, this pasta dish was created in Canada in the 70s and made popular in NYC. Many renditions add summer veggies like zucchini and tomatoes, but I prefer it this way, with tender spring vegetables.
In the 80s and 90s, if you were a vegetarian and went out to dinner, there was a good chance that Pasta Primavera was the only option on the menu. Back then, it often came out heavy and stodgy with only a few random veggies. I truly felt bad for my vegetarian friends! Perhaps it’s one of the reasons we started a vegetarian restaurant, now that I think about it. 😉
Omg! Excellent pasta primavera recipe, bursting with spring flavors. I used both tarragon and the mint and felt the mint gave the dish a lovely finish. Thank you for a great recipe! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pasta Primavera Recipe Ingredients
- Pasta- Use any pasta noodles you prefer. Here I’m using fettuccini, but tagliatelle, spaghetti, linguini, or even short pasta like penne pasta or bow tie would work great. Gluten-free pasta is always an option.
- Fresh spring vegetables – Any quick-cooking spring produce you like. Here are asparagus, snap peas, English peas, artichoke hearts, fennel, carrots, leeks, or pea shoots. Feel free to sub frozen peas.
- Cheese: Pecorino gives the best flavor, but feel free to substitute Parmesan Cheese or vegan Parmesan.
- Lemon Zest- adds a delicious pop of brightness.
- Leeks and Garlic- We use leeks and garlic, but feel free to sub onion, spring onions, or shallots. Garlic is a must!
- Cream– heavy cream, plant-based cream, crème fraîche, or even yogurt to create the creamy sauce.
- Tender Herbs- Fresh Parsley, tarragon, fresh basil, mint or dill- a combo is nice here!
- Olive oil– for sauteeing, we skip the butter here, but feel free to use it if desired.
- Salt and pepper and red pepper flakes to taste.
Chef’s Tips
- Pump up the veggies. As with most pasta dishes on this blog, we pack in a lot of veggies. Feel free to use frozen peas or edamame for more protein. Other veggies will work too- broccoli, green beans, mushrooms, bell pepper, zucchini, artichoke hearts. Frozen veggies can be tossed in with the pasta for the last minute of cooking to thaw. You’ll need about 5 -6 cups total, including the leeks.
- Reserve the pasta water. Salt the pasta water, because you’ll use it to season the “sauce”. A good rule of thumb is: 1 teaspoon salt to 1-quart water.
- Make it vegan. Leave out the cheese, and add a generous drizzle of vegan cream or olive oil at the end. Or try a vegan parmesan.
How to make Pasta Primavera
Cook pasta: Set salted water to boil for pasta – 2 quarts of water with 2-3 teaspoons salt, and boil pasta until al dente, reserving one cup of hot salted pasta water.
Sauté Veggies: In a large saute pan, heat oil over medium heat. Saute leeks and asparagus until just softened, add snap peas and garlic, season with salt, pepper chili flakes and peas, continue to saute until tender-crisp and bright green. Slightly undercooking the veg is better than overcooking here. 🙂
Combine: Add the pasta, lemon zest, pecorino cheese, and a little hot pasta water to loosen it, tossing to well to coat the pasta, heating it up gently, and allowing the cheese to incorporate. Toss in 2/3rds of the herbs and all the cream, adding more cream if you like.
Season. Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed, or more hot pasta water.
Serve. Divide among bowls, top with remaining fresh herbs, more cheese and lemon zest if you like.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stove in a saucepan or in the microwave.
Pasta Primavera Serving Suggestions
I love serving pasta primavera with a leafy green salad, like our Spring Greens and crusty warm bread, like our sourdough bread, these Savory Scones, Savory Leek Bread or Focaccia Bread.
More favorite spring pasta recipes
I hope you enjoy this one. My husband begs me to make this often so it’s a family favorite around here. Please leave a comment and remember to rate it below. ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Thanks.
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Easy Pasta Primavera Recipe
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: 30 minute Dinner, easy dinner, Main, Pasta, spring recipes, weeknight dinner
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This light and creamy pasta primavera makes the perfect spring dinner! Tender pasta, & spring vegetables are kissed with a light cream sauce.
Ingredients
- 10–12 ounces pasta- tagliatelle, fettuccine, pappardelle
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 leek, thinly sliced (or sub 2 shallots or one onion)
- 1 bunch asparagus, wooden ends removed, cut into 1-inch slices (about 2–3 cups)
- 1 1/2 cups snap peas, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 cup peas, or sub edamame.
- salt, pepper and chili flakes to taste
- zest from one lemon
- 1/4– 1/2 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
- Optional – 1-2 tablespoons mint, tarragon or basil
- 1/2 cup grated pecorino, more for sprinkling- or sub parmesan or vegan parmesan
- 1/2 cup heavy cream, more as needed, or sub plant-based cream, crème fraîche, or even a little yogurt.
Instructions
- Cook pasta: Set salted water to boil for pasta – 2 quarts of water with 2-3 teaspoons salt, and boil pasta until al dente, reserving one cup of hot salted pasta water.
- Sauté Veggies: In a large saute pan, heat oil over medium heat. Saute leeks and asparagus until just softened, add snap peas and garlic, season with salt, pepper chili flakes and peas, continue to saute until tender-crisp and bright green. Slightly undercooking the veg is better than overcooking here. 🙂
- Combine: Add the pasta, lemon zest, pecorino cheese, and a little hot pasta water to loosen it, tossing to well to coat the pasta, heating it up gently, and allowing the cheese to incorporate. Toss in 2/3rds of the herbs and all the cream, adding more cream if you like.
- Season. Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed, or more hot pasta water.
- Serve. Divide among bowls, top with remaining fresh herbs, more cheese and lemon zest if you like.
Notes
Veggies: Other veggies will work too- broccoli, green beans, mushrooms, bell pepper, zucchini, etc. Frozen peas, frozen edamame or frozen artichoke hearts can be tossed in with the pasta for the last minute of cooking to thaw. You’ll need about 5 -6 cups total, including the leeks.
Make sure to salt your pasta water, and reserve it.
Leftovers will keep up to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ½ cups (with pecorino & heavy cream)
- Calories: 595
- Sugar: 11 g
- Sodium: 579.2 mg
- Fat: 18.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 7.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 86.6 g
- Fiber: 9.5 g
- Protein: 23.2 g
- Cholesterol: 31.7 mg
This is heaven!! Used plant-based heavy cream and leftover Asiago cheese. Would def make again! Thank you!
Awesome Angeli! Thanks for the review.😍
Made it last night; T’was delicious and easy. Used plain, Greek yogurt in lieu of cream. All good!
Great to hear Rebecca! Love the Greek yogurt sub.
Omg! Excellent pasta primavera recipe, bursting with spring flavors. I used both tarragon and the mint and felt the mint gave the dish a lovely finish. Thank you for a great recipe!
Great to hear Lynne! love the mint addition- so fresh!
Another great recipe! I didn’t add the cream or yogurt, and opted for the good olive oil drizzle. I bought pecorino cheese for this dish, and wow it’s delicious. I like how this pasta dish is light, healthy, and showcases spring’s beautiful veggies and herbs.
Great to hear Jenna! So happy you gave this a go!