Do you need something fresh-tasting and flavorful for dinner? Try this Pasta Primavera for a delightfully satisfying meal full of veggies and pasta! Once you have the veggies prepped and pasta cooked, it will come together quickly. With an abundance of vibrant seasonal veggies available, this becomes a perfect warm-weather dish to enjoy or a light Meatless Monday meal!
The Prep:
You can certainly vary the veggies, but I believe these are perfect for the Pasta Primavera ! Squash is sliced lengthwise then sliced thin, but not chunky. Halve an onion from pole-to-pole. Slice it into thin strips, then halve once more. Asparagus is trimmed and cut into 2″ sections. I really like using mini-bell peppers, but if you prefer the larger bell peppers, go for it!
Whisk together oil with the other seasonings then pour over the veggies and toss to coat. I used my own Italian Seasoning which I believe is just perfect, but I am biased. Using herbs I’ve harvested from those I’ve grown, makes it so much more flavorful!
Roasting the Veggies:
Pour the coated veggies into a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet; spread them out evenly. Bake them at 425 degrees for about 15 minutes. While this is in the oven, start your pasta. Don’t forget to reserve some of the pasta water!!
Finishing Up:
Heat in a small sauce pan, the butter, minced garlic, lemon zest and juice. Pour it over the drained pasta, which has been place in a wide open bowl, and toss to coat. Add the reserved pasta water and toss once more. Next, add the veggies to the pasta bowl and toss gently to evenly distribute.
Then add in the chopped fresh basil chiffonade, Italian flat-leaf parsley or a combination as you prefer, with the finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Toss gently once more before serving.
Serve it up!
It’s time to dish it out! Place your desired amount of Pasta Primavera in a bowl with additional grated cheese and some halved grape tomatoes for an additional burst of freshness! Enjoy!
Pasta Primavera
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb penne pasta, reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water
Veggie Prep:
- 1 small zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced 1/4' thick about 1-1/4 cups
- 1 small tellow squash, halved lengthwise and sliced 1/4" thick about 1 1/4 cups
- ! c mini bell peppers that have been seeded and sliced into rings
- 1/2 c red onion, sliced into thin rings and quartered
- 1-1/4 c thin asparagus, bottoms trimmed and cut into 2 " sections
Seasoning for Veggies
- 2 T extra virgin olive oil
- 1 t sea salt
- 1/2 t black pepper, freshly ground
- 1 t Italian seasoning
Finishing Up:
- 1-1/2 t freshly minced garlic
- 3 T butter, melted
- 1-1/2 t lemon zest
- 2 T lemon juice
- 2 T basil chiffonade or Italian flat leaf parsley
- 1/4 c Parm-Reg cheese plus more for garnishing
- halved grape tomatoes, if desired
Instructions
- Cook pasta to al dente stage according to package directions. Drain, reserving at least 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
- Prep veggies as stated above.
- Whisk together the veggie seasonings and toss with prepped veggies to coat.
- Roast veggies in 425°F preheated oven for about 15 minutes, stirring halfway.
- Heat up the garlic, melted butter, lemon zest and lemon juice, Pour over drained pasta along with reserved pasta water.
- Add veggies to pasta and toss with either basil or parsley...or both.
- Sprinkle with grated cheese and toss lightly again to distribute it within the mixture.
- To serve, garnish with more cheese and halved grape tomatoes, if desired.
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