Pasta Primavera Recipe - A Great Eat Your Veggies Dinner (2024)

by Patti Estep 2 Comments

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This recipe for vegetarian pasta primavera is easy and can be adapted to suit your preferences. A great meatless option for dinner with plenty of flavor.

Pasta Primavera Recipe - A Great Eat Your Veggies Dinner (1)

One of my favorite meatless main dish recipes is vegetarian pasta primavera. My mom used to make this, and we all loved it. In fact, when my husband and I were first married, this recipe was something we would make on a weekly basis. Years later we realize that our waistlines, and health, cannot handle too many yummy pasta dishes on a regular basis, but as they say, everything in moderation.

This is a great alternative to fried fish during lent, and more than satisfies you without any additional protein. That being said, I could see chicken or bay scallops as a nice addition.

Pasta Primavera Recipe - A Great Eat Your Veggies Dinner (2)

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Pasta Primavera Recipe - A Great Eat Your Veggies Dinner (3)

The dish became popular in New York by a restauranteur, Sirio Maccioni, in the '70s. The name primavera normally indicates the first of spring. Although the original dish did include asparagus, a spring season crop, that's about as far as it went with spring vegetables.

My recipe does not include spring vegetables. I'm not sure when, or if mushrooms even have a season, and zucchini and broccoli are typically harvested in the summer. Still, the great thing about this combo is that you can usually buy them in the grocery store year-round.

Pasta Primavera Recipe - A Great Eat Your Veggies Dinner (4)

One of the issues with this dish is getting the vegetables to cook evenly. You could try pre-cooking them in the microwave but I feel like we use that tool a little too often, and sometimes the veggies get mushy, so I usually don't. Just start with the broccoli as it is the densest. Then add the zucchini, followed by the mushrooms.

Pasta Primavera Recipe - A Great Eat Your Veggies Dinner (5)

I like to use a good bit of garlic, however, you can adjust the amount or leave it out if you prefer. A little fresh herbs like basil or parsley would be a great topping, in addition to the Parmesan cheese, which is a given at our house.

Other Pasta Recipes You Make Like:

  • Butternut Squash with Baby Greens
  • Meyer Lemon Pasta with Shrimp and Spinach
  • Pappardelle with Pork Ragu
Pasta Primavera Recipe - A Great Eat Your Veggies Dinner (6)

Pasta Primavera Recipe - A Great Eat Your Veggies Dinner (7)

Pasta Primavera

Patti Estep

This recipe for pasta primavera is easy to make and can be adapted to suit your favorite vegetables for a healthy meal or side dish.

4.50 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Dinner Recipes

Cuisine American

Servings 4

Calories 380 kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 pound linguine noodles
  • 2 bunches fresh broccoli cut up into bite sized pieces
  • 1 box sliced mushrooms
  • 3 medium green zucchini cup up into slices or 1/2 rounds
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese grated
  • 2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 3-4 cloves garlic grated
  • 1 pinch red pepper flakes optional

Instructions

  • Start with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 clove of grated garlic on medium heat in a large skillet.

  • Add broccoli and saute for about 5 minutes.

  • Add zucchini and saute for an additional 5 minutes

  • Add mushrooms and saute for 15 to 20 minutes adding more olive oil and grated garlic as the entire mixture cooks down.

  • Meanwhile cook the pasta and instead of draining it lift it directly out of the water and into the skillet if you have room.

  • Add additional pasta water to the dish about 1/4 cup.

  • Toss with Parmesan cheese and pepper flakes

  • Serve with more Parmesan cheese and pepper flakes on the side.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 380kcalCarbohydrates: 52gProtein: 13gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 127mgFiber: 5gSugar: 4g

Keyword pasta primavera, vegetarian pasta

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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About Patti Estep

Patti is the creator of Hearth and Vine, a home and garden blog filled with projects to inspire your creative side. She loves crafting, gardening, decorating and entertaining at her home in Pennsylvania. When she is not working on a project at home or searching for treasures at nurseries and thrift stores with her girlfriends, you’ll probably find her with family and friends, at a restaurant, or home party enjoying new and different food adventures.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Victoria Reich

    I love it!! There really isn't much with calories except the pasta and parma. So I may try with hubby and do the card deck size serving with a side. A great way to get fresh veggies.

    Reply

    • Patti Estep

      Hi Victoria,

      I'm so glad you like it. It's a great one to experiment one to find the right amount of ingredients that can keep it healthy and still taste good.
      Thanks for stopping by and have a great week!
      Patti

      Reply

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Pasta Primavera Recipe - A Great Eat Your Veggies Dinner (2024)

FAQs

What is primavera sauce made of? ›

In a large pot combine tomatoes, tomato paste, broccoli, carrots, onion, zucchini, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, garlic, bay leaves, olive oil, basil, rosemary, oregano, thyme, salt, pepper, sugar, and water. Heat to just boiling, cover and reduce heat to simmer.

What veggies go well in pasta? ›

Vegetables: I add over 1 ½ pounds of veggies to this pasta recipe and love a combination of zucchini, yellow squash, jarred roasted red peppers, and spinach. Other veggies work, like peas, corn, cauliflower, and cabbage.

What is in Domino's pasta primavera? ›

After slowly sautéing fresh baby spinach, diced tomatoes, mushrooms and onions, we combine the veggies with the pasta and Domino's signature creamy Alfredo sauce. Our Alfredo sauce is rich but never overwhelming, allowing the delicate freshness of the baby spinach and diced tomatoes to shine through.

What does primavera mean in cooking? ›

In Italian, primavera (pree-muh-VEHR-uh) means spring style; with foods, it refers to fresh vegetables. This side dish stars squash, carrots, red pepper, and broccoli.

Is white sauce the same as Alfredo sauce? ›

White sauce – also known as béchamel – is made with flour, milk, and butter. It's a basic sauce that can be used as a base for other sauces or as a topping for dishes like lasagna. Alfredo sauce, on the other hand, is made with butter, cream, and Parmesan cheese, and has a much richer flavour than white sauce.

Why is it called pasta primavera? ›

Pasta primavera comes from the Italian word for “spring.” Traditionally, the Italian-American dish was used to make the most of a garden bursting with spring veggies. But I love it year-round with whatever seasonal vegetables I have on hand. Feel free to substitute with what you have on hand and what is in season.

What does Domino's put in their sauce? ›

Sugar, Water, Tomato Paste, Distilled Vinegar, Honey, Molasses, Contains Less Than 2% of Salt, Natural Flavor, Modified Corn Starch, Natural Smoke Flavor, Aged Cayenne Red Pepper, Garlic,* Paprika, Spice, Mustard Seed, Onion,* Yeast Extract, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Benzoate (Preservative), Celery Seed, Chili Powder (Chili ...

Does Domino's use real cheese? ›

If it doesn't impress you that Domino's has eight types of cheese, this certainly will: Domino's cheese was created by a true mozzarella maker with help from a professional cheese technologist and a National Cheese Institute Laureate Award winner. When you want the best, you go to the best.

Does Domino's use real tomato sauce? ›

Robust Inspired Tomato Sauce

Domino's Pizza recipe is simple. Their ingredient list is too which are: tomato puree, sugar, salt, spices, garlic, oil, and citric acid.

What is the English word for Primavera? ›

springtime [noun] the season of spring.

What does QB mean in Italian cooking? ›

q.b. is an acronym commonly used in Italian recipes. These two little letters stand for quanto basta, meaning “as much as needed.” It's often used to indicate that there is no set amount of say, salt, in a recipe—it's up to you to decide based on your personal taste!

Is veggie pasta healthy? ›

Bean-Based Pasta Nutrition

Beans, lentils, edamame, and chickpeas can be counted as either vegetables or protein sources. So it's no surprise that pastas made with any one of these are packed with protein. “They really do pack a nice nutritional punch when compared with other pasta varietals,” Romano says.

What makes something primavera? ›

In Italian, primavera means spring, and this classic warm-weather dish is surely a favorite this time of year on account of its celebration of all things light and fresh. It takes little more than vibrant seasonal vegetables to make a meal primavera style, but most traditional interpretations pair it with pasta.

What is chicken Primavera made of? ›

Chicken primavera is a light and fresh pasta recipe that stars lightly cooked spring vegetables, tender chunks of chicken breast, pasta (of course!), and lots of delicious fresh herbs and parmesan cheese. Use a short, sturdy pasta shape for this one-pot method: cavatappi, penne, or rotini all work great!

What is penne primavera made of? ›

Heat a glug of olive oil in a large skillet, and toss in the garlic, onion, zucchini, squash, asparagus, and cherry tomatoes. It only takes a few minutes for the vegetables to soften. Then, add the pasta, peas, cheese, and lemon juice. Toss until the cheese melts down and coats the pasta in a lightly creamy sauce.

What's the difference between pizza sauce and pasta sauce? ›

Pizza sauce leans towards a thicker, paste-like consistency to prevent the pizza dough from becoming soggy. Pasta sauces, such as marinara or bolognese, contain more water and can include chunkier vegetable pieces or meat, offering a richer texture and flavor complexity.

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