Creamy Pasta Primavera Dish (Printable)

A vibrant dish featuring pasta coated in a luscious creamy sauce with fresh seasonal vegetables.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz penne or fettuccine

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium zucchini, sliced into half-moons
03 - 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
04 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
05 - 1 cup broccoli florets
06 - 1 medium carrot, julienned
07 - 1/2 cup frozen or fresh peas
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Sauce

09 - 2 tbsp olive oil
10 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
11 - 1 cup heavy cream
12 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
13 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
14 - 1/4 tsp salt, or to taste
15 - 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
16 - Zest of 1 lemon
17 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil, plus extra for garnish

# How-To Steps:

01 - Boil pasta in a large pot of salted water following package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain and set aside.
02 - Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
03 - Add julienned carrot and broccoli florets; sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Incorporate zucchini, bell pepper, and peas; cook another 3 to 4 minutes until just tender. Stir in cherry tomatoes and cook for 1 minute.
04 - Lower heat to low. Pour in heavy cream and grated Parmesan, stirring until cheese melts and sauce slightly thickens, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
05 - Add cooked pasta to the skillet and toss to coat thoroughly. Add reserved pasta water as needed to achieve desired sauce consistency.
06 - Season with salt, black pepper, lemon zest, and optional red pepper flakes. Stir in chopped fresh basil.
07 - Plate immediately, garnishing with extra basil and additional Parmesan if desired.

# Helpful Tips:

01 -
  • The cream sauce comes together in minutes but tastes like you've been cooking all day.
  • Every vegetable stays just tender enough to have its own flavor, not mushed into invisibility.
  • It's elegant enough for guests but casual enough for a regular Thursday when you want something that feels special.
02 -
  • Reserve that pasta water before you drain everything, because it's your secret weapon for loosening the sauce if it gets too thick.
  • Don't let the cream boil hard or it can break and separate, so keep your heat moderate and stir gently and constantly.
  • The vegetables should be barely tender, not soft, so they keep their individual flavor and the dish feels fresh instead of overcooked.
03 -
  • Have everything prepped and ready before you start cooking, because once the vegetables hit the pan, things move quickly and you don't want to be chopping while something burns.
  • Taste the pasta at the very end of the cooking time suggested on the package, not at the beginning, so you understand where al dente really lives in your kitchen.
  • The reserved pasta water is liquid gold for adjusting consistency, so never throw it away until you're sure you don't need it.

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