Pasta Primavera Recipe

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Pasta Primavera was first invented by an Italian chef with the intent of using spring vegetables. But these days, you can make it any number of ways and enjoy a delicious, filling, an hearty meal that satisfies your soul.

You might also enjoy some of my other pasta recipes such as my pasta carbonara with bacon, my cheeseburger pasta, or my homemade mac and cheese.

What Is Pasta Primavera?

As mentioned above, pasta primavera is an Italian pasta dish meant for using spring vegetables. It’s a versatile dish that can handle nearly any vegetables you care to add to it. And yes, you can add chicken or other meat or seafood if you like. While a true primavera is just veggies, nobody is going to hunt you down if you add meat.

What Pasta Shape Is Best For Pasta Primavera?

Pasta primavera needs a pasta shape that truly lets the sauce cling to the noodle. Great options for this are:

Fettuccine – Fettuccine is wide and flat, which makes it perfect for holding creamy or vegetable-based sauces.

Penne – Penne’s tube shape is great for catching sauce and bits of vegetables inside. This is the noodle to use if you want this to be a truly hearty dish.

Fusilli – The spiral shape of fusilli helps the sauce and vegetables wrap around the pasta.

Rotini – Like fusilli, rotini is another spiral pasta that holds the creamy sauce and vegetable chunks well. But it’s better equipped to hold the varying textures of pasta primavera than fusilli is.

Spaghetti – For a more traditional take, spaghetti is always a good choice. The long, thin strands give a nice balance with the creamy sauce and vegetables. That said, it’s not as good at holding the sauce and veggies.

Linguine – Similar to fettuccine but thinner, linguine is great for pasta primavera because it lets the flavors of the sauce and veggies really shine.

Orecchiette – This pasta, shaped like small ears, works wonderfully in a dish like primavera because its cup-like shape holds bits of sauce. It’s also easy to eat with a spoon, which means it’s easy to scoop up the veggies along with the sauce and pasta.

Best Overall Pasta Choices

Penne, Fusilli, and Fettuccine are the shapes shapes that are most effective at holding onto both the sauce and the vegetables for even, well-textured bites.

Pro Recipe Tips

1. Soak The Cashews Properly – Soaking cashews for at least 4 hours (or 10 minutes in boiling water) helps them blend more smoothly into a cream. The smoother the cashew cream, the creamier your sauce will be. So once they are soaked, blend them well.
2. Season The Cashew Cream – Taste your cashew cream before using it in the sauce. If you think it’s bland, it won’t taste any better once it’s on the pasta. So season it to your liking before you pour it over the pasta. Add a pinch of salt, a dash of garlic powder, or a squeeze of lemon juice. A bit of nutritional yeast can also add a cheesy flavor that tastes similar to cheesy sauces.
3. Save Pasta Water – Always reserve some pasta cooking water before draining. It’s starchy and can help loosen up the sauce if it gets too thick. Add a tablespoon or two at a time to achieve a consistency you like.
4. Don’t Overcook The Vegetables – For the best texture, aim for an al dente texture. Overcooking will give you mushy veggies. Aim for about 5-7 minutes of cooking time, depending on your heat level.
5. Get Creative With Veggies – Feel free to experiment with the vegetables based on what’s in season or what you have on hand. Try adding peas, spinach, or even roasted carrots. Just keep the texture in mind (tender-crisp works best).

What’s In Pasta Primavera?

Pasta – You can use any type or shape you prefer. Regular, gluten-free, zoodles – anything works here.

Extra virgin olive oil – Or any light-flavored oil you prefer

Red onion – Yellow onion will work in a pinch, but red is best.

Garlic – Use the biggest cloves you can find.

Red bell pepper – While any color will work, red is the sweetest and gives the best flavor to this dish. I would avoid using green peppers for this as they tend to be quite bitter.

Zucchini – Just pick an average-sized zucchini. You don’t have to worry too much about exact amounts for anything in this dish.

Cherry tomatoes – Grape tomatoes work too. Any small tomato will do.

Broccoli florets – Chop these into a size that is comfortable for you to chew. Really large pieces are not great in this dish.

Raw cashews – They have to be raw. Roasted cashews won’t work.

Vegetable stock – Make sure there is no added sugar.

Water – It’s best to use some reserved pasta water. But in a pinch, regular, filtered water will work. Avoid tap water which tends to taste like chlorine.

Dried thyme

Dried oregano

Fresh basil – While there is a measurement given, you can use as much or as little of this as you like.

Salt and pepper

Juice of 1 lemon

How To Make Pasta Primavera

Soak the cashews for 4-10 hours, or boil them for 10 minutes or until softened.

Cook pasta to package directions in salted water (at least 1 tbsp. of salt.)

While the pasta cooks, drain the soaked cashews and place them in a high-speed blender or food processor. Add the vegetable stock, ¼ cup pasta water (more if needed), and dry spices as well as salt and pepper, and blend until completely smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, sautéing for about 2 minutes until fragrant. Add the garlic and continue sautéing for another 30-60 seconds. Add the bell peppers, zucchini, tomatoes, broccoli, and asparagus. Cook for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender but still crisp.

Add the cashew cream to the skillet and stir everything together. Bring it to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes to let the flavors meld. Add pasta water as needed for the right consistency, and lastly, add the pasta and lemon juice, stirring well (and briefly) to combine. Remove from heat. Adjust salt and pepper as needed and serve.

Storage

Store any leftover in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days, unless you use any animal-based products (such as chicken). In that case, this will keep for up to 3 days. Freezing is not recommended.

Reheating

Reheat in a skillet or pot on the stovetop. Add extra broth or water as needed to loosen up the sauce.

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Recipe from the Gracious Pantry® archives, originally posted on 9/28/2010.