Description
This light and creamy pasta primavera makes the perfect spring dinner! Tender pasta, & spring vegetables are kissed with a light cream sauce.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 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
