Veggie Pasta Recipe
Make Veggie Pasta Recipe in just 35m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Pasta
Vegetables
Sauce & Seasoning
Finishing
Method
Pasta
- 1
Boil pasta
Bring 4 cups water and 1 tbsp salt to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add 12 oz pasta and cook until al dente according to package instructions (usually 8-11 minutes). Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and set aside.
Vegetables
- 2
Prep vegetables
Peel and thinly slice the yellow onion. Mince 3 garlic cloves. Core, seed and dice the bell pepper into 1/2-inch pieces. Trim ends and cut the zucchini into half-moons about 1/4-inch thick. Peel and thinly slice the carrot into half-moons. Halve the cherry tomatoes if large. Roughly chop or stem the fresh basil leaves.
- 3
Sauté aromatics and vegetables
Heat 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and a pinch of salt; cook 4-5 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the minced garlic and 1 tsp red pepper flakes; cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Add diced bell pepper, carrot, and zucchini; cook 5-7 minutes until vegetables are tender-crisp, stirring occasionally. Add halved cherry tomatoes and cook 2 minutes until they begin to soften. Stir in 3 cups baby spinach and cook until wilted, about 1-2 minutes.
Sauce & Seasoning
- 4
Build the sauce
Push the sautéed vegetables to the side of the pan (or lower heat slightly). Pour in the 14 oz crushed tomatoes and 1 cup vegetable broth (or water). Stir in 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp dried basil, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and salt to taste. Bring to a gentle simmer and let cook 6-8 minutes so flavors meld and sauce thickens slightly. If sauce becomes too thick, add some reserved pasta water, a few tablespoons at a time, to reach desired consistency.
- 5
Combine pasta and sauce
Add the drained pasta to the pan with the sauce and vegetables. Toss thoroughly to coat, adding up to 1/2 cup reserved pasta water if needed to loosen and help the sauce cling. Cook together 1-2 minutes so pasta absorbs a bit of the sauce.
Finishing
- 6
Finish and serve
Remove the pan from heat. Stir in 1 tbsp olive oil (finish) and 1 tsp lemon zest. Tear or stir in fresh basil leaves. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve topped with 1/2 cup grated Parmesan if using. Drizzle a little extra olive oil and garnish with a few whole basil leaves.