Pasta Primavera
This one-pan-wonder is light on calories, big on flavor, and bursting with colorful spring veggies!
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 2 lg. cloves garlic
- 2 1/2 tsp. kosher salt divided
- 6 T. unsalted butter room temperature, divided
- 1 T. lemon zest (about 1 lemon)
- 12 oz. dry penne or fusilli pasta
- 4 c. hot water
- 1 med. shallot minced
- 10 Asparagus spears trimmed, cut diagonal into 1-inch pieces
- 1 sm. zucchini diced
- 1 1/2 c broccoli cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 c. fresh or frozen peas
- 20 cherry tomatoes halved
- 3/4 c. Parmesan cheese plus more for serving
- 2 T. Basil ribbons for garnish
- 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes more if you like it spicy
Instructions
- Prep all veggies in advance.
- Lemon-Garlic-Butter: Mash the garlic and 1/2 teaspoon of salt together to make a paste. Add 4 tablespoons butter and lemon zest, mash together until combined; set aside.
- Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. Add shallots and sauté until softened and beginning to brown, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the pasta, hot water, and the remaining 2 teaspoons of salt to the pot. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, lower heat back to medium-high, uncover and cook until the pasta is al dente, about 8 minutes. Stir the pasta occasionally, so the noodles don’t stick to the bottom of the pot.
- Add the asparagus, zucchini, broccoli, and peas. Stir and cook uncovered until the vegetables are crisp-tender and the cooking liquid has reduced into a starchy sauce, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in the tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, and lemon-garlic-butter. The water should be significantly reduced, leaving a silky, buttery sauce. Serve in bowls garnished with red pepper flakes, basil ribbons and more Parmesan cheese.
Notes
Cook's Note: Feel free to add any veggies you like or have on hand. The key is to cut them all the same size.