Rainbow Veggie Pasta Primavera (Printer View)

Vibrant bow-tie pasta with fresh spring vegetables in a light garlic and olive oil sauce. Quick, easy, and bursting with color.

# What you'll need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz bow-tie (farfalle) pasta

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 cup asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
04 - 1 cup red bell pepper, thinly sliced
05 - 1 cup yellow squash, sliced into half-moons
06 - 1 cup broccoli florets
07 - 1 cup carrots, julienned
08 - 1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
09 - 1/2 cup frozen peas

→ Sauce

10 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
11 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
12 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
13 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
14 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
15 - Zest of 1 lemon
16 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

→ Garnish

17 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
18 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
19 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

# Method:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add bow-tie pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain and set aside.
02 - While pasta cooks, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and crushed red pepper flakes, sautéing for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add carrots, broccoli, and asparagus to the skillet. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until they begin to soften slightly.
04 - Stir in red onion, red bell pepper, yellow squash, and a pinch of salt. Continue sautéing for 3 to 4 minutes until all vegetables are tender yet maintain vibrant color.
05 - Add cherry tomatoes and frozen peas to the skillet. Cook for 2 minutes until heated through.
06 - Transfer drained pasta to the skillet with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Toss thoroughly to combine, adding reserved pasta water as needed to achieve a silky sauce consistency.
07 - Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper as desired.
08 - Remove from heat. Toss with Parmesan cheese, fresh basil, and parsley.
09 - Transfer to serving dishes immediately. Garnish with additional fresh herbs and cheese as desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Every bite tastes bright and alive, like spring decided to show up on your fork no matter what month it is.
  • It comes together in less than an hour but looks like you spent all afternoon fussing over it.
  • You can toss in whatever vegetables are sitting in your crisper drawer and it still turns out beautiful.
  • The lemon and garlic create this light, zingy sauce that makes you forget you're eating something this healthy.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving the pasta water because plain water won't create that silky sauce that clings to every piece of pasta and vegetable.
  • Add the vegetables in stages based on how long they take to cook, or you'll end up with mushy broccoli and crunchy carrots in the same bite.
  • Keep the heat at medium so the garlic gets fragrant without burning into bitter little brown bits.
  • Toss the fresh herbs in at the very end off the heat so they stay bright green and don't wilt into the background.
03 -
  • Use a large skillet so the vegetables have room to sauté instead of steaming on top of each other in a crowded pan.
  • Zest the lemon before you juice it because trying to zest a juiced lemon is a frustrating mess.
  • Taste the pasta water before you drain it, and if it's not salty enough to taste like the sea, your pasta will be bland.
  • Fresh herbs make all the difference, so don't bother with the dried stuff because it won't give you that bright, vibrant finish.
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