Description
Creamy Pasta Primavera is a delightful Italian-inspired dish featuring a medley of colorful vegetables in a rich, creamy sauce served over perfectly cooked pasta. This vegetarian recipe is bursting with flavor and makes for a satisfying main course.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta:
- 12 oz penne or fettuccine pasta
Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 1 cup broccoli florets
- 1 cup zucchini, sliced
- 1 cup yellow squash, sliced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- Optional: red pepper flakes for heat
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.
- Prepare Sauce: In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté onion, then add garlic. Add bell pepper, broccoli, zucchini, and squash; cook until tender-crisp. Stir in cherry tomatoes and cook briefly. Add cream, Parmesan, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Simmer until slightly thickened.
- Combine and Serve: Toss cooked pasta with sauce, adding reserved pasta water as needed. Garnish with parsley and serve hot.
Notes
- For extra protein, add grilled chicken or shrimp.
- You can also use half-and-half for a lighter version.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 320 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 56 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg
