This Pasta Primavera is everything a spring or summer dinner needs: its light on calories‚ big on flavor‚ and bursting with colorful seasonal vegetables. Pasta Primavera is the perfect fresh veggie pasta dish for the whole family.In This ArticleWhat Is Primavera?Why This Recipe Stands OutKey Recipe IngredientsSubstitutions And VariationsStep-By-Step Recipe InstructionsHow To Prep AheadWhat To Serve With Pasta PrimaveraCommonly Asked QuestionsPerfect Pasta Primavera RecipeMore To Cook And EatView moreWhat Is Primavera?The word primavera means spring in Italian or a mixture of fresh vegetables. This dish is a popular choice during the warm season as it celebrates fresh and light ingredients.To prepare a primavera-style meal‚ all you need are seasonal spring vegetables. The most traditional way of serving it is by combining it with pasta‚ which we will do in this recipe. Why This Recipe Stands OutThis Pasta Primavera recipe delivers big on nutrition and flavor: Quick and Easy: This recipe can be made in just 35 minutes‚ making it an ideal meal for busy weeknights.Get Your Family to Eat Veggies: The combination of fresh seasonal vegetables and and olive oil (no heavy cream or butter) makes this a healthy-delicious meal. Affordable Ingredients: This recipe uses simple and fresh ingredients that you can easily find at your local market. Its one of our favorite Easter and Spring recipes.Meal in One: Although pasta primavera is generally meatless‚ you can easily customize it by adding your favorite protein like chicken or even shrimp as in our Shrimp Scampi Pasta.Key Recipe IngredientsDry Pasta We use spaghetti for this recipe‚ but fettuccine or linguine also work.Onion and Garlic Use freshly chopped onion and garlic for the aromatics.Seasonal Vegetables Broccoli‚ carrots‚ red bell peppers‚ yellow squash or zucchini‚ grape tomatoes‚ and mushrooms add color and nutrition.Italian Seasonings A blend of dried Italian seasonings further enhances the flavors of the vegetables and pasta.Chicken or Vegetable Broth This is used to make a light sauce that coats the vegetables and pasta. Optional Garnish Freshly grated parmesan cheese and basil leaves add a final touch of flavor to the dish.Substitutions And VariationsThis Pasta Primavera recipe is as flexible as it is delicious. Here are a few of our favorite ideas to make this recipe your own:Add Meat: While we love this recipe as a vegetarian option‚ you can easily add your favorite protein. Grilled chicken or even tofu would be a great addition. You can also add our 10-Minute Garlic Shrimp on top before serving.Different Pasta: Weve used spaghetti‚ but feel free to use any type of pasta you prefer. You can also try using gluten-free pasta or even zucchini noodles for a low-carbohydrate option.Vegetables: This recipe is all about seasonal vegetables‚ so dont hesitate to swap in your favorites. Asparagus‚ snap peas‚ or even artichoke hearts are all great options. Spices: Italian seasoning is a classic choice‚ but feel free to get creative with your spices. Step-By-Step Recipe InstructionsBoil pasta to al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water. Drizzle pasta with oil to prevent sticking and cover to keep warm.In a large skillet‚ heat olive oil. Saut onions and garlic until softened. Add broccoli and carrots‚ then bell pepper. Finally‚ add squash‚ tomatoes‚ and mushrooms and cook until all veggies are softened.Add Italian seasoning‚ salt‚ and pepper. Dissolve cornstarch in broth and add to the veggie mixture. Bring to a boil until thickened.Pour veggie mixture over cooked pasta. Add some of the reserved pasta water if needed. Garnish with parmesan and basil. Serve immediately.For full list of ingredients and instructions‚ see recipe card below.How To Prep AheadPasta Primavera is a delicious and versatile dish that we love to make ahead of time. Take a look at our favorite prep-ahead tips for this recipe:Prep the Vegetables: You can chop all your vegetables in advance and store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Entirely Make Ahead: To prepare your pasta primavera dinner in advance‚ follow the recipe as written‚ but keep the cooked veggies and cooked pasta separate until ready to serve. Be sure to toss cooked pasta with enough olive oil to keep it from sticking.This Perfect Pasta Primavera is everything a spring or summer dinner needs.What To Serve With Pasta PrimaveraBreadRosemary Garlic Bread or Olive Garden Breadsticks are classic options to pair with pasta.Garlic Cheese Bread is another great option that will pair beautifully with this fresh veggie pasta.ProteinGrilled Chicken Breast or Garlic Shrimp can be served on the side or added to the pasta for a heartier meal.Thinly sliced grilled steak is great for those who enjoy pasta with steak. SidesA simple green salad is a great way to round out your meal. Consider this Kale Brussel Sprouts Salad or an Easy Chopped Greek Salad.If you want to keep it all veggies‚ a side of Roasted Vegetables‚ Roasted Brussels Sprouts or sauted spinach would be a great choice.Commonly Asked QuestionsIs there protein in pasta primavera? Though pasta primavera is generally meatless and well suited for vegetarians‚ dry pasta itself and any added cheeses contain protein for a satisfying meal. What is pasta primavera sauce made of? Many pasta primavera sauces contain heavy cream‚ but this lightened-up version makes smart use of broth and seasonings for all the flavor with the additional fat. What is the best type of pasta to use for pasta primavera? The best type of pasta to use for pasta primavera is a long‚ thin pasta such as spaghetti‚ linguine‚ or fettuccini. These types of pasta allow the vegetables and sauce to cling to them‚ giving you a perfect bite every time. What if I accidentally threw out the reserved pasta water? Use a broth of your choice in place of the reserved pasta water‚ as needed. How long does pasta primavera keep? Pasta primavera can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Just make sure to store it in an airtight container to maintain its freshness and flavor. PrintPerfect Pasta PrimaveraThis Pasta Primavera is everything a spring or summer dinner needs. It';s light on calories‚ big on flavor‚ and bursting with all the colorful seasonal vegetables. Course Dinner‚ MainCuisine ItalianDiet Low LactoseMethod StovetopPrep Time 20 minutes minutesCook Time 15 minutes minutesTotal Time 35 minutes minutesServings 6Calories 437kcalAuthor Amy DongIngredients16 oz dry pasta such as spaghetti4 TB extra virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling1 medium onion chopped8 cloves garlic chopped2 cups broccoli florets2 cups matchstick carrots1 large red bell peppers seeded and thinly sliced1 yellow squash or zucchini‚ sliced1 cup grape tomatoes halved1 cup mushrooms sliced1 TB dried Italian seasoning1 tsp kosher salt tsp black pepper freshly ground1 TB cornstarch2 cups regular strength chicken broth or vegetable broth‚ if keeping vegetarianfreshly grated parmesan cheese optional garnish‚ or freshly sliced basil leavesInstructionsBring a large pot of generously salted water to boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions‚ just to al dente; do not overcook. When pasta is done‚ reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water and set it aside. Return drained pasta to pot and drizzle cooked/drained with enough oil to prevent sticking; cover to keep warm.While pasta is cooking: heat olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and stir 2-3 min. or until softened. Add garlic‚ stirring 1 minute. Add broccoli and carrots‚ stirring 2-3 min. Add bell pepper and cook another 2 min. Add the squash/zucchini‚ tomatoes‚ and mushrooms‚ stirring 2-3 minutes or just until all veggies are softened to your preference.Add Italian seasoning‚ salt‚ and pepper to the veggie mixture‚ stirring to combine well. Dissolve 1 TB cornstarch in 2 cups broth; when fully dissolved‚ add to the veggie mixture and bring to a boil until thickened.Pour veggie mixture over cooked pasta in pot. Gently toss to combine; add some of the reserved pasta water if needed. Add additional kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper‚ to taste (I add about 1/4 tsp here.) Serve immediately with freshly grated parmesan and fresh basil.NotesGenerously salting the water for cooking pasta helps prevent pasta from sticking‚ as well as provides flavor.Take care not to overcook the pasta; it should be cooked just to al dente‚ meaning it is still slightly firm when bitten. This will give your pasta primavera the perfect texture.When making pasta primavera‚ feel free to use any fresh‚ in-season vegetables for the best flavor and texture. Freshly grated parmesan cheese and freshly sliced basil leaves arent just for showthey add a burst of fresh flavor that takes your pasta primavera to the next level.Pasta primavera is a dish that tastes even better the next day‚ so dont be afraid to make a little extra. However‚ it may need to be thinned out with additional broth upon reheating.Serve this alongside some Rosemary Garlic Bread or Olive Garden Breadsticks for soaking up the delicious veggie and pasta juices.If you enjoyed this recipe‚ please come back and give it a rating. We hearing from you!Join ourFree Recipe Cluband get our newest‚ best recipes each week!NutritionCalories: 437kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 728mg | Potassium: 725mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 8463IU | Vitamin C: 76mg | Calcium: 89mg | Iron: 2mgMore To Cook And EatCaprese Pasta Salad with Basil Pesto Everyones favorite caprese flavors in a noodle dish that feeds the entire family.Tortellini Pasta Salad with Pesto Sauce‚ Tomatoes‚ and Mozzarella Make smart use of store-bought tortellini in this extremely flavorful dish.Lemon Pasta with Smoked Salmon and Asparagus This lemony‚ savory dish is bright and full of refreshing flavors.Asian Pasta Salad with Sesame Ginger Dressing Enjoy this well-balanced pasta salad all year long; the flavors are fabulous.Easiest Summer Italian Pasta Salad No need to fuss over your Italian pasta salad; this recipe is super easy and absolutely delicious.The post Pasta Primavera appeared first on Chew Out Loud.