Pasta Primavera Recipe
Penne pasta with seasonal vegetables and a light garlic sauce.
Was this page helpful?
Help improve this recipe for others.
Send this recipe to your inbox.
We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.
Ingredients
Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Pasta
Vegetables
Garlic Sauce
Method
Pasta Preparation
- 1
Boil the Pasta
In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil. Add the penne pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente, usually about 10-12 minutes.
- 2
Drain the Pasta
Once cooked, drain the pasta in a colander and set aside, reserving about 1/2 cup of the pasta water for later use.
Vegetable Preparation
- 3
Chop the Vegetables
While the pasta is cooking, wash and chop the zucchini, bell pepper, and carrot into bite-sized pieces. Halve the cherry tomatoes.
- 4
Sauté the Vegetables
In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped zucchini, bell pepper, and carrot. Sauté for about 5 minutes or until they start to soften.
- 5
Add Spinach and Tomatoes
Add the cherry tomatoes and spinach to the skillet and continue to sauté for another 2-3 minutes until the spinach has wilted.
Garlic Sauce Preparation
- 6
Make the Garlic Sauce
In a small saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes. Sauté for about 1-2 minutes until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
- 7
Combine Garlic Sauce with Vegetables
Pour the garlic sauce over the sautéed vegetables and mix well. Add the lemon juice, black pepper, and stir to combine.
Combine Everything
- 8
Mix Pasta with Vegetables
Add the drained penne pasta to the skillet with the vegetables and garlic sauce. Toss everything together, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
- 9
Serve
Serve the Pasta Primavera hot, topped with grated Parmesan cheese.