Free recipe Italian-American

Pasta Primavera

Name: Pasta Primavera
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients: 12 oz farfalle, or penne; 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided; 8 oz asparagus, trimmed, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces; 1 zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced 1/4 inch thick; 10 oz cherry tomatoes, halved; 1 cup frozen peas; 2 tbsp unsalted butter; 1 small shallot, finely minced; 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced; 1/2 cup heavy cream; 1 lemon, zested and juiced; 2 oz parmesan cheese, finely grated, plus more to serve; 1/4 cup basil leaves, torn; kosher salt, to taste, plus more for the pasta water; black pepper, freshly ground, to taste

Farfalle tossed with tender spring vegetables, a light lemony cream sauce, parmesan, and fresh basil. Colorful, fresh, and ready in 45 minutes.

By Marisol Vance, Founder & Head of Recipe Development Published February 14, 2026

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Prep: 20 min
Cook: 25 min
Total: 45 min
Servings: 4
Level: Easy

Pasta primavera, meaning springtime pasta, was made famous in New York in the 1970s, and it is still one of the best ways to celebrate the first tender vegetables of the season. Asparagus, zucchini, peas, and sweet cherry tomatoes each bring their own color and texture.

The trick to keeping it vibrant is cooking the vegetables in stages so nothing turns drab or mushy. A light sauce of butter, a little cream, lemon, and parmesan coats everything without hiding the vegetables.

Feel free to adapt it to what looks best at the market, from sugar snap peas to baby spinach. Serve it as a vegetarian main or alongside grilled fish or chicken.

Bright spring vegetables
Light lemon cream sauce
Easy vegetarian dinner

Directions

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil.
Heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the asparagus and zucchini with a pinch of salt and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until crisp-tender and lightly browned. Transfer to a bowl.
Add the remaining 1 tbsp oil and the cherry tomatoes to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes, just until they begin to soften. Add them to the bowl.
Cook the farfalle according to the package directions, adding the peas for the last 2 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain.
Reduce the heat under the skillet to medium and melt the butter. Add the shallot and garlic and cook for 2 minutes until softened.
Pour in the cream and lemon zest and simmer for 2 minutes until slightly thickened.
Add the pasta and peas to the skillet with 1/4 cup of pasta water and toss to coat.
Remove from the heat and add the parmesan and 2 tbsp of the lemon juice, tossing and adding more pasta water as needed for a silky sauce.
Fold in the cooked vegetables and half the basil, and season with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice to taste.
Serve topped with the remaining basil and extra parmesan.

Test-kitchen tips

Leftovers keep for 2 days and are good cold as a pasta salad with an extra squeeze of lemon and drizzle of olive oil.
Cut the vegetables to similar sizes so they cook evenly and fit nicely on a fork with the pasta.
Swap in broccoli florets, sugar snap peas, or baby spinach, or skip the cream and use more pasta water and olive oil.