Pin this recipe for later!
All recipes are rigorously tested in our Nashville Test Kitchen to ensure they are easy, affordable, and delicious.
For me, nothing says Spring quite like a big serving of Pasta Primavera! This dish is full of fresh seasonal vegetables tossed with pasta in a light lemon and butter sauce. Now I know I’m not the only one who struggles getting their daily veggies, which is why I love this recipe. It incorporates lots of colorful vegetables, is simple to toss together, and the leftovers are just as good the next day!
“I loved this! Lots of great leftovers for the week. I love how it’s packed full of veggies and it’s a Parmesan lovers dream! Will definitely put it in the rotation.”
Amanda Joy
A Weeknight Pasta Loaded with Vegetables
Pasta primavera is such a simple, fresh recipe, and you only need a few ingredients to make it feel like an impressive dinner. Although the name primavera means “spring” in Italian, pasta primavera is actually a popular American dish that was first introduced in the 1970s. It typically includes lots of fresh spring and summer vegetables that are sautéed and tossed with pasta in a light cream sauce, but in this recipe, I opted for a fresh lemon butter sauce instead. It keeps the vegetables bright, lets their natural sweetness shine, and makes the whole dish feel lighter without losing any cozy pasta-night comfort.
I also love how flexible this recipe is. It’s vegetarian as written and is easy to make vegan with a few simple swaps. The zucchini and carrots stay crisp-tender, the tomatoes add little bursts of sweetness, and the lemon keeps it tasting fresh instead of heavy. Everything cooks quickly while the pasta boils, so you get a full meal in about 30 minutes without a pile of dishes. If you want to add some protein, my chicken pasta primavera has the same fresh, veggie-packed feel, but with added chicken!
Recipe Success Tips
- Cut the vegetables evenly. This is the easiest way to make sure everything cooks at the same pace. Thin carrot rounds, sliced onion, half-moon zucchini and squash, and halved tomatoes will cook up tender instead of turning overly mushy.
- Cook the vegetables in stages. I like to sauté the vegetables until they’re tender but still have a little bite. I work in batches, starting with the hardier carrots and onions first, then adding the softer vegetables so everything finishes at the same time. If you do cook them a little longer, it’ll still be a delicious dinner! The vegetables will just be softer and less crisp-tender.
- Save that pasta water! The starch in the pasta water helps the lemon juice, melted butter, and Parmesan come together into a light sauce instead of separating or pooling at the bottom of the bowl. It also helps the sauce cling to the pasta and vegetables. Start with a small amount, toss well, then add more only if the pasta looks dry.
- Add more flavor if you like things bold. This recipe is meant to taste fresh and simple, but you can bump it up with extra garlic, crushed red pepper, more lemon zest, fresh basil, or a little extra Parmesan at the end.
- This recipe is similar to traditional Alfredo. Just like our fettuccine Alfredo, this pasta primavera uses butter, Parmesan, and starchy pasta water to help the sauce cling to the pasta without cream. Primavera keeps things lighter with lemon juice and lots of vegetables, while Alfredo is richer and more cheese-forward. Both are delicious, but this recipe is the one I make when I want something fresh or have a few vegetables in the fridge that need using up!
Pasta Primavera
Cost $7.10 recipe / $1.77 serving
Ingredients
Pasta and Veggies
- 8 oz. penne pasta (uncooked, $0.49)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil ($0.44)
- 1 zucchini ($0.94)
- 1 yellow squash ($1.01)
- 1 carrot ($0.14)
- ½ red onion ($0.43)
- ½ cup frozen peas ($0.21)
- 1 cup grape tomatoes ($1.76)
- 3 cloves garlic cloves (minced, $0.24)
Sauce
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese (grated, $0.89*)
- 1 tsp dried oregano ($0.10)
- ½ tsp salt ($0.02)
- ½ tsp black pepper (freshly cracked, $0.02)
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice (fresh, $0.13)
- 2 Tbsp butter ($0.28*)
Instructions
- Start by prepping your vegetables. Wash the vegetables, then cut and slice each vegetable into equal size pieces. Cut the zucchini and yellow squash into half moons, slice the carrots into thin rounds, cut the grape tomatoes in half and slice the red onion into strips.
- Next bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions, or until al dente. Reserve some of the starchy pasta water before draining the pasta in a colander.
- While the pasta is boiling, saute the vegetables. In a large deep skillet add olive oil and saute carrots and onion over medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Next add zucchini and yellow squash and saute for an additional 1-2 minutes.
- Next add the minced garlic, grape tomatoes and frozen peas. Season the vegetables with salt, pepper and dried oregano. Saute for an additional 1-2 minutes, then turn the heat off.
- Add the butter to the skillet along with the fresh squeezed lemon juice and stir well to combine. Either add the cooked and drained pasta to the skillet, or transfer the pasta and vegetables to a large bowl. Add grated parmesan cheese and some of the reserved pasta water. Stir the vegetables with the pasta until well combined. Serve with fresh chopped parsley (optional garnish) and enjoy!
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!How to Make Pasta Primavera Step-by-Step Photos
Prep your vegetables: Wash the vegetables thoroughly, then cut and slice each vegetable into equal-sized pieces. Cut one zucchini and one yellow squash into half moons, slice one carrot into thin rounds, thinly slice half of a red onion, cut one cup of grape tomatoes in half, and mince three cloves of garlic. The carrot should be sliced fairly thin since it takes longer to soften than the other vegetables.
Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook 8 oz. pasta according to the package instructions until al dente, meaning it’s tender but still a little firm to the bite. Before draining, reserve ½ cup of the starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta in a colander, then transfer it to a large bowl.
Sauté the vegetables: While the pasta is boiling, heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add the prepared carrots and red onion and sauté for 2 minutes, just until the onion starts to soften. Add the zucchini and yellow squash and sauté for another 2 minutes, stirring often so they soften but don’t turn mushy. Now add the minced garlic, halved grape tomatoes, and frozen peas to the skillet.
Season with 1 tsp salt (or to taste), ½ tsp pepper, and 1 tsp dried oregano. Sauté for another 1-2 minutes, until the garlic smells fragrant, the peas are warmed through, and the tomatoes start to soften slightly. Turn the heat off so the vegetables stay bright and crisp-tender.
Make the sauce: Add 2 Tbsp butter to the skillet along with about 2 Tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice. Stir the vegetables well to combine.
Toss everything together: Either add the cooked and drained penne directly to the skillet, if there’s enough room, or transfer both the pasta and vegetables to a large bowl. Add ½ cup grated or shredded Parmesan cheese and about ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water. Toss until the cheese melts slightly and the lemon butter sauce lightly coats the pasta and vegetables. Add more of the reserved pasta water if needed to create a light sauce.
Serve with fresh chopped parsley and enjoy!
What Else Can I Add?
Pasta primavera is extremely versatile. You could mix and match with other vegetables that are in season and will cook in relatively the same amount of time. This is also a great recipe to use up any leftover veggies that may be hanging out in your fridge to help reduce food waste in your kitchen! Try some of these veggies:
- Broccoli, chopped into small florets
- Mushrooms, sliced in half or quartered
- Asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- Green beans, fresh or frozen
- Bell peppers, sliced into thin strips
- Snap peas or snow peas
- Corn, fresh or frozen
- Fresh spinach, stirred in at the end until just wilted
Serving Suggestions
This pasta primavera can absolutely stand on its own as a colorful main dish, but I sometimes add a little extra protein when I want it to feel more filling. My shrimp scampi keeps the meal light and lemony, garlic butter baked cod adds a simple flaky seafood option, and our easy lemon pepper chicken works really well with the fresh vegetables and Parmesan. I also love to serve it with garlic bread because a little buttery, crispy bread next to pasta never hurts!
Storage & Reheating
Let any leftovers cool before transferring to airtight containers and storing in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. I actually really love this recipe for meal prepping, and it’s delicious served cold or warmed in the microwave. The veggies do soften and seep a little water in storage, but I don’t mind that. Give everything a stir before enjoying again.
Try These Spring Pasta Recipes Next!
- This Chicken Pasta Primavera keeps the bright vegetable-packed feel of my veggie-forward recipe here, but adds chicken to make it even heartier.
- Baked Pasta with Spring Veggies is rich enough for comfort food night, but the asparagus and zucchini keep it bright.
- Our Asparagus Pasta is one of my favorite quick dinner recipes to make when asparagus is in season!
My husband and I both enjoyed this recipe! Very fresh and bright with the butter/lemon sauce! I had a random supply of garden produce to use up so I googled a Pasta Primavera recipe and yours sounded really yummy! It did not disappoint! I had orecchiette pasta in the pantry and I used a sweet onion rather than the purple. Thanks for sharing!
Refreshing, straightforward spring dish. If I made it again, I’d tweak a few things to add more flavor.
My family does not care for English peas; anyone out there the same? I always substitute shelled edamames for peas in recipes. They work great with a little extra protein.
I make this with tomatoes, zucchini, squash, an orange bell pepper, and sometimes mushrooms–it is reliably simple and delicious.
This pasta is so fire we made it twice in a week. Also recommend chicken sausage if you want to add some meat to it, but the recipe is 10/10 on its own.
This looks delicious. Can’t wait to try.
I made this tonight and it is a perfect recipe, light and delicious. Since we had leftovers, tomorrow I’ll add sautéed shrimp and serve it again. Thanks!
Great recipe! How should the leftovers be reheated the next day?
It’s actually pretty good cold, or you can give it a quick buzz in the microwave!
This was easy to put together and tasted really delicious! I appreciate simple yet tasty recipes. Thank you!!
I loved this! Lots of great leftovers for the week. I love how it’s packed full of veggies and it’s a Parmesan lovers dream! Will definitely put it in the rotation.
This was so good! It satisfied my need for pasta while including a bunch of healthy veg. It made a good packed lunch for work too. Thank you so much for the great recipe.
My daughter made this for dinner and it was delicious.
This was really tasty, affordable and quick. So lemony and refreshing!
So fresh and easy. Great for a light summer meal