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This Creamy Penne Pasta Primavera is the perfect vegetarian Pasta dish. It's packed with veggies and tossed in a simple cream sauce for a lighter version of fettuccine alfredo. You will love this recipe & it comes together in 35 minutes!
Did you know Primavera means Spring in Italian? I was so excited to learn this since it's Spring and I wanted to share this recipe. Perfect Timing!
This pasta is packed with veggies, but the cream sauce makes it delicious for those who maybe don't care for vegetables.
My dad is a vegetarian and he ate two large portions of this recipe. It truly is the perfect vegetarian comfort food or make it for dinner on Meatless Monday. If you prefer meat with dinner, try adding my Crispy Chicken Fritta Recipe on top.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe:
- It is packed with healthy vegetables.
- The cream sauce is full of flavor, but not in a heavy way.
- This recipe is the type of recipe where you can use whatever veggies you have in the fridge. I love making this before I have to throw produce away. It's a great way to use all of it up!
- You can create this recipe in about 30 minutes.
Looking for more easy weeknight meals? Try my Creamy White Cheddar Mac and Cheese, Couscous Stuffed Peppers, & Loaded Veggie Nachos.
Ingredients:
Penne- The perfect pasta to toss with this creamy sauce and veggies
Vegetables- Celery, carrot, zucchini, yellow squash, red pepper, broccoli and kale come together to create an excellent vegetable medley in this recipe
Olive Oil- To sauté the vegetables
Garlic- Just a touch to add flavor to the cream sauce
Butter and Heavy Cream- Forms the ideal base for the cream sauce
Parmesan Cheese- A nutty, delicious cheese that thickens the sauce
Pasta Water- To turn the thick cream sauce into dreamy creaminess
Salt and Pepper- For seasoning and salt to assist in softening the veggies
How to Make Penne Primavera:
Watch the full recipe video on Youtube and be sure to Subscribe. It's free and I post new recipe videos weekly.
Here are the Step by Step Instructions for this easy Pasta Primavera.
Step 1: Cook the Pasta
Begin by boiling water and cooking the penne noodles al dente according to package. *MAKE SURE TO SAVE ¼ CUP OF PASTA WATER BEFORE DRAINING*
Step 2: Sauté the Vegetables
In a dutch oven or large saucepan over medium heat, add in olive oil. Allow it to heat up, then add in the vegetables, except for the Kale or Spinach. Add a pinch of salt.
Cook the vegetables for 6 to 7 minutes with the lid on, stirring every few minutes. Add in kale or spinach and cover for 2 more minutes.
Uncover and set dutch oven to the back of the stove, off heat.
Make the Easy Cream Sauce:
In a pan over medium-low heat, add in the butter. Once melted, add in garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
Turn heat to low, and add in the heavy cream. Stir constantly for 3 minutes. You want it hot, but not boiling.
Toss in salt and pepper and parmigiano reggiano cheese. Continue to stir until cheese melts.
Add in a touch of pasta water, a tablespoon at a time, until it gets nice and creamy. You may only use half the pasta water.
Toss the pasta and cream sauce into the veggies.
Serve with a sprinkle of parmigiano-reggiano and black pepper. I love a lot of black pepper on mine!
Enjoy this delicious Pasta Primavera.
Expert Tips:
- Be sure to add the pasta water slowly until you reach the desired consistency of the sauce. If you add it too fast, it could get thinner than you would like.
- You want to use parmigiano reggiano cheese for this recipe or a similar fresh block cheese. Do not use pre-shredded cheese in a bag. They add an anti-caking agent to bagged cheese and it doesn't melt as well.
Recipe FAQs:
You can use this recipe with any kind of pasta. Penne is a favorite choice in our family, but any pasta will work!
If you don't like cream sauces, try my pesto recipe or quick marinara sauce.
Primavera sauce is very similar to Alfredo sauce and uses heavy cream, garlic, butter, parmesan cheese and sometimes chicken stock. I have left out the chicken stock and added pasta water to make this recipe vegetarian friendly.
How To Reheat Leftovers:
This recipe tastes best fresh, but if you want to heat up leftovers, put it into a saucepan and heat on low stirring often until heated. The cream sauce has soaked into the pasta at this point, but it still tastes good.
More Recipes You Will Love:
Recipe
Pasta Primavera
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
This Pasta Primavera is the perfect vegetarian Pasta dish. It's packed with veggies and tossed in a simple cream sauce for a lighter version of fettuccine alfredo. You will love this recipe!
Ingredients
- 1 package (1 lb) penne pasta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
- 2 whole carrots, thinly sliced
- ½ zucchini, cut into circles then quartered
- ½ yellow squash, cut into circles then quartered
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 cup chopped broccoli florets
- 3 cups chopped kale (stalk removed) or 3 cups baby spinach
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¾ cup parmigiano reggiano cheese, finely shredded
- ¼ cup pasta water from penne noodles
- ½ teaspoon salt (more to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper (more to taste)
Instructions
- Begin by boiling water and cooking the penne noodles al dente according to package. *MAKE SURE TO SAVE ¼ CUP OF PASTA WATER BEFORE DRAINING*
- In a dutch oven or large saucepan over medium heat, add in olive oil. Allow it to heat up, then add in the vegetables, except for the Kale or Spinach. Add a pinch of salt.
- Cook the vegetables for 6 to 7 minutes with the lid on, stirring every few minutes. Add in kale or spinach and cover for 2 more minutes.
- Uncover and set dutch oven to the back of the stove, off heat.
- In a pan over medium-low heat, add in the butter. Once melted, add in garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Turn heat to low, and add in the heavy cream. Stir constantly for 3 minutes. You want it hot, but not boiling.
- Toss in salt and pepper and parmigiano cheese. Continue to stir until cheese melts.
- Add in a touch of pasta water, a tablespoon at a time, until it gets nice and creamy. You may only use half the pasta water.
- Toss the pasta and cream sauce into the veggies. Serve with a sprinkle of parmigiano-reggiano and black pepper. I love a lot of black pepper on mine!
Notes
Add in the pasta water slowly into the cream to get the desired consistency. If you add too much at once, it could get too thin!
- You want to use parmigiano reggiano cheese for this recipe or a similar fresh block cheese. Do not use pre-shredded cheese in a bag. They add an anti-caking agent to bagged cheese and it doesn't melt as well.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: dinner
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: italian
Keywords: penne primavera, pasta primavera, vegetarian pasta recipe, meatless monday
George
This was so good! I ate two plates full.
★★★★★