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Pasta Primavera

in Cook, Recipes

Spring is here! Well, let’s be serious – I live in Chicago, so no, spring is not yet here. But daylight savings time is! And that’s almost the same thing. Kind of. But either way, at least it’s light for more than five hours a day now.

Anyway, I was in a celebratory mood yesterday (perhaps because of all the extra daylight, who knows), and what better way to celebrate the semi-arrival of spring than with a lovely little pasta dish that showcases some of spring’s finest veggies! A pasta primavera, if you will.

We’re getting so close to being in prime time for a ton of delicious veggies, and I just couldn’t wait any longer to cook up something fresh and light and springy – even though, at least where I live, it’s maybe still a bit early for spring bloomers to have really hit their stride. But take a bite of this pasta and you wouldn’t know it!

For this dish, I really wanted to focus on bright, pretty colors and light, zingy flavors – two things that absolutely scream spring to me. I also wanted to keep the dish simple – after all, when it’s warm and sunny outside, you want to be outside! Not standing over a hot stove. So great news: you can cook this meal up in 30 minutes or less (depending on how fast of a veggie chopper you are.)

Now, what’s in this thing, you might be asking. Well first, I wanted some lovely green veggies. Obviously. Peas and diced green zucchini do the trick quite nicely. You can use any type of pasta you want, but I chose rigatoni because it catches some of the peas and zucchini pieces. Yum yum:) I also added in some minced garlic for flavor and some lemon juice and dill for a pop of fresh tang. Of course, I also added in the obligatory red pepper flakes (seriously one of my all-time favorite ingredients) for some zing.

The whole thing is finished with a super light, super easy olive oil, half and half, and pasta water sauce, and then topped off with goat cheese and shredded mint. Is your mouth watering yet? (Because mine is just writing this.)

So there you have it – super easy and delightfully fresh. Bon appetit, and happy spring!

Print

Pasta Primavera

Ingredients

  • 1 package rigatoni
  • 3 medium zucchini
  • 2 large garlic cloves
  • 1 cup green peas (fresh or frozen)
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes (or to taste)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1 tsp dried dill
  • juice of half a lemon

Sauce

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup half and half
  • 1/4 cup pasta water
  • salt and pepper

Finishers

  • goat cheese
  • mint (shredded)

Instructions

  1. Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Before draining, reserve about a cup of the water the pasta cooked in. Drain and set aside.

  2. Finely mince the garlic and dice the zucchini into quarters. Heat about a tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. 

  3. Add the garlic and zucchini to the pan. Sprinkle with the salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and dill and stir to combine. 

  4. Add the lemon juice and continue to cook for another five to seven minutes, until the zucchini is cooked through but not soggy. Remove the pan from heat and transfer the veggies to a bowl. Reserve the pan.

  5. Once the pasta is cooked and the pasta water reserved, you can start making the sauce.

  6. Add the olive oil and the half and half to the reserved pan and heat over medium heat. Splash in about 1/4 of the reserved cup of pasta water. Continue to cook over medium heat, stirring very frequently, until the mixture has blended together and thickened slightly.

  7. Once the sauce is ready, add the pasta and toss. Add in the vegetable mixture and carefully stir until everything is combined. 

  8. Top with goat cheese and shredded mint and enjoy!

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