This pasta primavera is light, packed with veggies, and super easy to make. A perfect spring or summer dish that’s as delicious as it is simple.

What is Pasta Primavera?

A dish that means ‘spring pasta’ in Italian, Pasta Primavera is an Italian-American dish that has one rule: Add as many delicious seasonal veggies as possible.

Since there’s no hard and fast method to exactly what you should add to your pasta primavera, it’s all comes down to taste — and what you can find at your farmer’s market.

Some of my favorites include:

Zucchini
Asparagus
Yellow squash
Tomatoes
Shallots
Broccoli
Peas
Bell peppers

Looking for more pasta recipes? Try some of these:

Pasta Primavera Ingredients

Here’s what I used in this dish:

Pasta: I used De Cecco’s Cavatappi, but you can opt for whichever pasta shape you prefer.

Burrata: To add to the finished dish.

Vegetables: I used a mix of asparagus, shallots, broccoli, zucchini, frozen peas, and cherry tomatoes

Garlic: Finely chopped

Lemon juice: To help create the light and refreshing sauce

Freshly grated cheese: I used a mixture of Locatelli and Parmiagano-Reggiano

Extra virgin olive oil: A nice quality brand

Red pepper flakes: For a little heat

Fresh basil:

Spices: Salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes

How to Make Pasta Primavera

Here’s how to make this easy dish.

Step 1: Prep the veggies

Put a pot on the stove and let it come to a boil.

In the meantime, chop up your veggies and set them aside.

Step 2: Cook the shallots and garlic

Add the olive oil to a deep skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the garlic and shallots. Cook until softened, making sure that they don’t burn.

Step 3: Add the veggies.

Add the veggies (except for the tomatoes), and a generous pinch of salt. Let cook until softened (about 10 minutes).

In the meantime, once the water has come to a boil, add a big pinch of salt and then the pasta. Let cook until one minute shy of al dente.

Once the veggies have softened, add the tomatoes and peas and stir.

Step 4: Add the pasta, pasta water, lemon juice, cheeses, and red pepper flakes

Using a slotted spoon, add the pasta directly from the boiling water to the veggies along with the cheeses, lemon juice, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Add about ½ ladle of additional pasta water (you may need more) and stir to combine.

Bring to a low boil and let cook for a few minutes, or until the sauce has thickened just a bit.

Finish either directly in the pot or in a serving bowl with some torn burrata, basil, and more red pepper flakes and grated cheese.

Print Recipe

Pasta Primavera

This pasta primavera is light, packed with veggies, and super easy to make. A perfect spring or summer dish that's as delicious as it is simple.

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Italian

Keyword: italian american recipes, pasta primavera, pasta recipes, primavera

Servings: 4 people

Ingredients

8 oz dried pasta of choice I used cavatappi
1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
1 cup broccoli florets
1-2 shallots sliced
5-6 garlic cloves finely chopped
6-7 basil leaves torn
1 bunch asparagus cut into little discs, cute ends can stay intact
1 large zucchini sliced into half moons
½ cup freshly grated Locatelli
¼ cup frozen peas
¼ cup freshly grated Parmiagano plus more
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon juiced
red pepper flakes to taste
salt and pepper to taste
1-2 fresh burrata balls

Instructions

Add a pot to come to a boil.
Meanwhile, add the olive oil to a skillet with high sides set over medium heat. Once hot, add the shallots and garlic. Cook until softened, but not burned — about 3-5 minutes.
Add the broccoli, zucchini, and asparagus along with a pinch of salt and a bit of black pepper. Cook until softened (about 10 minutes).
In the meantime, once the water is boiling add a big pinch of salt and the pasta. Cook one minute shy of al dente (time it so that that's nearly done when the 10 minutes are up for the veggies).
Add the tomatoes and frozen peas to the veggies and stir. Once ready, add the pasta with a slotted spoon directly from the boiling water to the veggies along with the Locatelli, Parm, lemon juice, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Add a little bit of pasta water if needed and stir. Bring to a low boil and cook until the sauce has thickened just a bit.
Finish in the pot or in a serving bowl by tearing the burrata balls and nestling them into the pasta. Finish with a touch of olive oil, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, torn basil, and some freshly grated cheese.