Penne pasta and a medley of spring vegetables are tossed in a lemon cream sauce to create an unforgettable pasta primavera you’ll be craving all season long.
This Is the Perfect Recipe to Use Up Those Spring Veggies
Perfectly al dente pasta, vibrant spring vegetables, and a silky lemon-infused Parmesan cream sauce — what could be better to celebrate the lighter side of spring flavors than to make this creamy pasta primavera recipe?
Not many Italian pastas can feel like a hug from the inside without leaving you feeling like a pasta-induced nap is your only plan. But this one does. It’s got serious comfort-food cream sauce vibes, but with a lighter flavor profile thanks to the tender green veg and lemon zest zip.
For years, I’ve made this lighter one-pot pasta primavera recipe with almond milk instead of heavy cream to keep things on the healthier side. But when I’m craving a truly creamy pasta that still feels fresh and spring-like, this is the recipe I turn to.
Enjoy!
Heidi’s Tips for Recipe Success
Blanch the green veg separately to maintain vibrancy. I tried making this recipe by sautéing the peas, asparagus, and green beans in the same skillet as the mushrooms and tomatoes, but that created too much steam and turned the veggies to mush. Ew. Learn from my mistake and blanch the green vegetables separately, then add them to the pasta at the very end — they’ll retain their shape and a slight “al dente” crunch that makes this recipe restaurant-quality.
Add a splash of balsamic to cut through the creaminess. A splash of balsamic adds a sweet, tangy, and lightly acidic flavor that balances out the richness from the Parmesan and heavy cream.
The Main Ingredients
The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.
- Pasta — I like penne pasta primavera because it’s about the same size as the vegetables, making a well-rounded bite. Another short pasta works just fine, too.
- Vegetables — Pasta primavera can be made with almost any spring vegetable you like, but I made peas, asparagus, and green beans the star of the show. For added flavor, I also threw in some cherry tomatoes and mushrooms, because they’re just so savory and delish.
- Balsamic vinegar — Adds a hit of sweet and tangy acidity that cuts through the Parmesan cream sauce.
- Butter + heavy cream — When melted together, these create the richest, creamiest base for the sauce.
- Parmesan cheese — Freshly grated melts seamlessly into the sauce without making it clump up.
- Lemon zest — Brightens up the sauce without making it taste too lemony.
- Fresh herbs — Fresh parsley and basil add herbaceousness.
- Pine nuts — Always, always, always toast pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat to deepen their flavor.
Ingredient Swaps and Substitutions
- Swap the cream sauce for almond milk to make a lighter pasta primavera.
- Sub the peas for snap peas, the asparagus for sliced zucchini or broccoli florets, and so on.
- Use another short pasta shape like shellbows, ziti, fussili or your favorite. Even long strands like fettuccine or spaghetti will work as well.
- Replace the balsamic vinegar for a splash of dry white wine.
- Add baked or grilled shrimp, grilled chicken, or grilled salmon for a protein boost.
How to Make Ultra Creamy Pasta Primavera
- Blanch the green vegetables. You don’t want to blanch them all in one go or else some of the veg will overcook. Start with the sturdier asparagus and green beans, then add the peas after 3 minutes. Immediately submerge the vegetables in an ice bath to stop them from cooking further.
- Sauté the aromatics, then combine with the blanched vegetables. Cooking the garlic and red pepper flakes in some hot oil really wakes up their flavor, so don’t skip this step. Add the drained green veggies and cook for just 2 to 3 more minutes to coat them in the aromatics.
- Cook the mushrooms and tomatoes. The mushrooms add body while the tomatoes add tons of flavor when their jammy bites are added to the pasta. A splash of balsamic vinegar adds just the right amount of sweetness to balance the tomatoes.
- Make the cream sauce. Make the cream sauce in the same pot you used to cook the pasta. Melt the butter into the heavy cream, then stir in the lemon zest and Parm and cook 2-3 minutes to thicken.
- Bring it all together. Everything — the cooked penne, the blanched vegetables and aromatics, the mushrooms and tomatoes, the fresh herbs, and the toasted pine nuts — gets tossed in the cream sauce to finish the dish.
Heidi’s Tip: If your sauce is too thick, thin it out with some starchy pasta water.
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below, leave a comment to tell us what you think, and tag me on Instagram @foodiecrush.
Creamy Pasta Primavera Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 ounces asparagus, trimmed and cut into ¾-inch pieces
- 4 ounces green beans, cut into ¾-inch pieces
- ¼ cup frozen baby peas, thawed
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 4 cloves garlic, pressed or grated
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, divided
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
- 6 ounces button mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
- 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1 pound penne
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, about 2 ounces
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh basil
- ⅓ cup pine nuts, toasted
Instructions
- Blanch the green veggies. Add 8 ounces asparagus pieces and 4 ounces green bean pieces to a 6-quart pot of boiling salted water (1 tablespoon salt per every 4 quarts water) and cook, uncovered, for 3 minutes. Add ¼ cup peas and cook until beans and asparagus are just tender, 1 to 2 minutes more. Immediately transfer vegetables with a spider or large slotted spoon to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking, reserving the water for cooking the pasta. Drain cooled vegetables.
- Sauté the aromatics. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium. Add 2 pressed garlic cloves and ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, and cook, stirring, just until garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the drained vegetables with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer to a bowl.
- Cook the mushrooms and tomatoes. In the same skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium. Add the remaining 2 pressed garlic cloves and remaining ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, just until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Add 6 ounces sliced mushrooms and 1 pint halved tomatoes, with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and pepper to taste, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms and tomatoes are softened, about 5 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar and 3 tablespoons water, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and the halved tomatoes are soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and keep warm, covered.
- Cook the penne pasta and make the sauce. Return the pot of water to a boil and cook 16 ounces penne until al dente, then drain in a colander, reserving ½ cup pasta water. To the empty, warm pot over medium heat, add 4 tablespoons butter, 1 cup cream, and 1 teaspoon lemon zest, then bring to a simmer, and cook uncovered, for 2 minutes. Stir in ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese.
- Combine the sauce, cooked pasta, and vegetables with herbs. Toss the cooked pasta in the sauce until well coated and creamy, adding reserved pasta water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if needed. Add the vegetables, parsley, basil, and pine nuts, gently tossing with the pasta.
- Taste for seasoning. Add more salt and pepper if needed. Sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup Parmesan cheese and more chopped leafy herbs, and serve.
Nutrition
What to Serve With Pasta Primavera
Storage Tips
You can store leftovers in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. I suggest eating them sooner rather than later since the penne will soften the longer it sits in the cream sauce.
More Spring Pasta Recipes
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