Pasta Primavera with Lemon Parmesan Sauce
Light and fresh pasta primavera loaded with colorful vegetables and tossed in a simple butter, lemon and parmesan sauce. Ready in under 30 minutes and perfect for busy weeknights all spring and summer long.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 8 oz penne or bowtie pasta or bucatini noodles
- 1 Tablespoons olive oil
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 1 small red onion halved and sliced
- 1 zucchini sliced into thin moons
- 1 yellow squash sliced into thin moons
- 1 red or orange bell pepper cut into ½ inch pieces
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes about 2 cups
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 3-4 cups baby spinach
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter or more oil
- Juice from 1 lemon
- 1 cup freshly shredded parmesan-reggiano
- ½-1 cup reserved pasta water
- Fresh basil for serving
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package instructions. Reserve ½-1 cup pasta water then drain and return it to the pot with the heat off.8 oz penne or bowtie pasta or bucatini noodles
- While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil over medium heat in a saucepan. Add garlic and saute for 3-4 minutes until fragrant.1 Tablespoons olive oil, 6 garlic cloves
- Then add onion, zucchini, squash, bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, salt and pepper and saute for about 4-5 minutes, until veggies are tender and tomatoes start to burst. Be careful not to overcook otherwise your veggies will become mushy! Add spinach and cook for an additional minute until wilted.1 small red onion, 1 zucchini, 1 yellow squash, 1 red or orange bell pepper, 1 pint cherry tomatoes, 1 teaspoon sea salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, 3-4 cups baby spinach
- Once pasta is drained and back in the pot add butter (or additional oil), lemon juice, parmesan cheese and reserved pasta water, starting with ½ cup. Stir to combine until cheese is melted, adding more pasta water as desired.1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, Juice from 1 lemon, 1 cup freshly shredded parmesan-reggiano, ½-1 cup reserved pasta water
- Add veggie mixture to the pasta and stir to combine. Serve immediately, topped with fresh basil and additional parmesan.Fresh basil
Notes
- Swap the veggies: Feel free to use whatever veggies you have on hand! Asparagus, broccoli, green beans, kale, eggplant and peas are all great options.
- Make it gluten-free: Use your favorite gluten-free pasta. My favorite is Banza chickpea pasta, but there are a ton of other options out there.
- Make it dairy-free: Use a dairy-free butter and parmesan cheese. I really like Follow Your Heart Dairy Free Parmesan.
- To store: Store any leftovers in the fridge for 4-5 days. Reheat over the stove top or in the microwave.
Nutrition
Serving: 1/4 recipe | Calories: 442kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 621mg | Potassium: 698mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 9g