In this Pasta Primavera recipe, I swap the heavy cream for a lighter lemony sauce that lets the colorful seasonal vegetables shine. This vegetarian pasta is easy, healthy, and very weeknight-friendly–it’s ready in 40 minutes!
I make pasta primavera sheet pan-style to make things as easy as possible. I simply toss the veggies with olive oil and herbs and roast until they’re just tender, sweet, and a little bit crisped at the edges. Meanwhile, I boil some pasta and throw together a bright fresh salad, like lemon parmesan lettuce salad or panzanella.
This versatile primavera recipe is a delicious way to celebrate fresh vegetables no matter the season. That means it’s never boring! I rarely make it with the same ingredients twice.
Table of Contents
Pasta Primavera Ingredients
Pasta primavera comes from the Italian word for “spring.” Traditionally, the Italian-American dish was used to make the most of a garden bursting with spring veggies. But I love it year-round with whatever seasonal vegetables I have on hand. Feel free to substitute with what you have on hand and what is in season.
- Fresh veggies: Zucchini, yellow squash, carrots, bell peppers, red onion, and grape tomatoes.
- Flavor-makers: Garlic, dried oregano, fresh thyme, salt, and pepper, and fresh lemon zest.
- Pasta: A short pasta is best for making sure everything is bite-sized. I used farfalle, but rigatoni or any short pasta you like would also work well.
- Oil: Use a full flavor yet smooth extra virgin olive oil. I love our buttery Italian Nocellara.
- Parmesan: Adds a savory-salty-nutty quality. Feel free to skip this part if you’d like a vegan or dairy-free primavera.
How to Make Pasta Primavera
To make this pasta primavera recipe, grab a pot, sheet pan, knife, grater, peeler, cutting board, and a bowl.
- Get ready. Preheat your oven to 450°F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then season generously with kosher salt.
- While your oven heats, grab a large bowl to add the prepared veggies as you go. Slice the zucchini, yellow squash, and onion into half moons. Peel and cut the carrots into short sticks. Slice the bell peppers into strips. Mince the garlic.
- Season the vegetables. Add 1 tablespoon of dried oregano and 1 1/2 teaspoons of fresh thyme leaves. Season with a big pinch of kosher salt and black pepper. Drizzle enough extra virgin olive oil to coat the veggies (about 3 tablespoons). Toss to coat.
- Roast the veggies. Spread the vegetables on a large sheet pan so they’re in one layer. (You may need to use two pans.) Roast on the middle rack for 10 minutes. Give them a good stir, spread them out again, and continue to roast until they’re tender and starting to brown at the edges, about 10 minutes more.
- Boil the pasta. While the vegetables roast, cook the pasta according to the package (about 10 to 12 minutes). Reserve one cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain. Halve the grape tomatoes and zest the lemon. Grate the parmesan.
- Finish the pasta. Transfer the pasta to a large bowl. Add the roast vegetables, tomatoes, and lemon zest. Add a splash of the pasta cooking water and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If you’d like, add a sprinkle more of oregano and fresh thyme.
- Serve. Divide among shallow serving bowls and sprinkle on the parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.
Getting Ahead, Leftovers, and Storage
To get ahead on your pasta primavera, chop all of the vegetables the night before. Add them to a large bowl, cover, and store them in your refrigerator. Simply add the oils and seasonings and roast the next day.
If you have leftovers, allow them to cool completely. Store, covered in your refrigerator, for up to 4 days. To reheat, add the pasta primavera to a saucepan on medium heat on the stovetop. Add a small amount of water and cook until warmed through. Or, serve at room temperature pasta salad-style. You can even dress it up a little with fresh greens like arugula or spinach, a big squeeze of lemon, and a drizzle of olive oil.
What to Serve with Pasta Primavera
This pasta primavera recipe is satisfying and nutritious enough to stand alone. You can happily stop there, but if you’d like extra protein, try our grilled garlic-parmesan shrimp or grilled chicken breast.
A crunchy side salad also goes well with the silky roast vegetables. Try lemon parmesan lettuce salad or panzanella to keep the Italian flavor party going.
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Easy Pasta Primavera Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 zucchini, sliced into half moons
- 2 yellow squash, sliced into half moons
- 2 to 3 carrots, peeled and cut into short sticks
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
- 1 yellow or orange bell pepper, sliced into strips
- 1 red onion, sliced into half moons
- 3 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano, plus more for garnish
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, plus more for garnish
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 12 ounces short pasta of your choice (I like farfalle)
- 8 ounces grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 large lemon, zested
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
Instructions
- Get ready. Preheat your oven to 450°F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then season generously with kosher salt.
- Season the vegetables. Place the zucchini, squash, carrots, bell peppers, and onion in a large mixing bowl (save the tomatoes for later). Add the garlic, oregano, and thyme. Season with a big pinch of kosher salt and black pepper. Drizzle enough extra virgin olive oil to coat the veggies (about 3 tablespoons). Toss to coat.
- Roast the veggies. Spread the vegetables on a large sheet pan so they’re in one layer (you may need to use two pans). Roast on the middle rack for 10 minutes. Give them a good stir, spread them out again, and continue to roast until they’re tender and starting to brown at the edges, about 10 minutes more.
- Boil the pasta. While the vegetables roast, cook the pasta in salted boiling water according to the package (about 10 to 12 minutes). Just before it’s cooked to your liking, reserve one cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain.
- Finish the pasta. Transfer pasta to a large bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. If you’d like, add a sprinkle more of oregano and fresh thyme. Add the roast vegetables, tomatoes, and lemon zest. Add a splash of the pasta cooking water and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Toss to combine.
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Notes
- Leftovers: Allow the pasta to cool completely, then cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Other vegetable options: Change up the vegetables according to what you have on hand. Broccoli, green beans, and asparagus will also work in this recipe.
- Add protein: Cut up some of this quick lemon chicken or grilled chicken and toss in the pasta. Or make this grilled shrimp (remove the shrimp from the skewers and toss in the pasta)
- Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including olive oils, honey, jams, and spices.
Nutrition
*This post originally appeared on The Mediterranean Dish in 2016 and has been updated with new information and media for readers’ benefit.
Delish! I added baby bella mushrooms to the veggie mix and didn’t have cherry tomatoes, so drained a can of fire roasted tomatoes. I also didn’t have carrot so left those out as well. The lemon zest added a ton of flavor IMO! Will definitely keep on rotation.
This is definitely a fun recipe to play around with. Perfect for cleaning out the veggie drawer in the fridge :).
This looks delicious, but I don’t see directions for the lemon sauce you mention at the beginning
Hi, Debbie. The sauce isn’t really a separate ingredient here. It’s really just the incorporation of the olive oil, pasta water and lemon zest that are added in the last step.
How much would you guess is a good amount of olive oil?
Hi, Joan. I would start with 2-3 Tablespoons and increase from there as necessary.
Made this dish last week. Very pleased with the results. Two comments. First; prep time 15 minutes? I thank that is very optimistic unless you are extremely adept and prepared in the kitchen. So, amateurs should plan for more time.
Also, the end result, while delicious, came out very salty. It does call for a generous amount of salt, throughout the recipe, but I think I was a bit too heavy-handed with the salt. Between adding salt to the vegetables, the pasta water, and the final mixture, it was a lot. So beware of that.
Otherwise, it came out very very good.
Thank You
Appreciate the feedback, John!
This was an amazing recipe, super simple and delicious! I accidentally roasted the tomatoes with the veggies and it turned out great. It was fantastic served warm, but also delicious served cold the next day!
This was lovely Suzy, thank you! Can’t wait for your book to arrive.
Made this tonight when I saw my chicken hadn’t defrosted all the way yet. Used summer squash, carrots, green beans, sweet peppers and garlic — absolutely perfect! It was a light, refreshing dish that was perfect for an 80+ degree day. Roasting the veggies first is so smart.
So glad you enjoyed it!
Another hit Suzy! I added sliced, black olives and butternut squash and more spice (red pepper flakes), and I used a healthy, brown rice pasta. It tasted so light and flavorful (a great spring/summer dish). This is the best pasta primavera I have tasted yet and will be added to my repertoire. Thank you once again!
Wonderful! Thanks, Laura!
I’ve tried a lot of pasta primavera recipes over the years but this was extraordinary and so easy to make! My husband said it’s a keeper! We used the veggies we had on hand: cherry tomatoes, broccoli, carrots, and peppers, roasted all of these. Then I threw some kale into the pasta when it was almost done cooking. The flavor was so rich! The other recipes I tried were just bland. You’re right, roasting the veggies first is the key! Delizioso!
I made this but combined it with 2 others.
A Suzy suggested I added the shrimp kabobs but I also used the wine/lemon sauce from the garlic shrimp recipe.. as I wanted more sauce. It was awesome !!!
Suzy, I’m wondering why you recommend short pasta here but long on the the garlic shrimp recipe??
Thanks Tony
Hi, Tony. Just shaking things up :). I love fafalle or penne with this one.
How long do u cook veggies for
Roast at 450 degrees F for about 20 minutes, stirring half-way through.
Can I roast tomatoes, asparagus, peppers, mushrooms and broccoli and maybe cauliflower for this, all at the same time. For how long?. I need more veggies
Hi, Sheila! Sure! This recipe is very versatile. You can really use whatever veggies you enjoy. Just follow the instructions for roasting the vegetables listed in the recipe.
I love all your recepies Suzy.
I am from Alexandria Egypt and i am following whatever you make . Its easy and delicious and healthy. Doreya
Wonderful!! Thanks, Doreya!
Absolutely delicious..
Question! I’d like to serve this for Christmas but would have make either several hours ahead?
Will it hold well in a warming pan?
I think it would be fine in the warming pan, Erin. Just be sure to keep it covered. For even better results, maybe only make the veggies in advance and store in the warming pan. Then prepare the pasta and toss together just before serving.
This is a WINNER! I make it regularly now. Thanks Suzy.
Yay!! Thanks, Lama!
Hi Suzy.
The roasted vegetables in this recipe were outstanding! They were tender, and the zucchini and yellow squash didn’t turn to mush. I was pleasantly surprised. Thank you for all of the delicious meals you share with us!!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Arlene!