Rainbow Veggie Pasta Primavera (Printable)

Colorful farfalle with crisp spring vegetables, garlic, olive oil, lemon zest. Ready in 40 minutes.

# Ingredient List:

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

→ Garnish

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

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the bow-tie pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain and set aside.
02 - While pasta cooks, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes; sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add carrots, broccoli, and asparagus. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until they begin to soften.
04 - Add red onion, bell pepper, yellow squash, and a pinch of salt. Sauté another 3-4 minutes until all vegetables are just tender but still vibrant.
05 - Stir in cherry tomatoes and peas. Cook for 2 minutes until just heated through.
06 - Add drained pasta to the skillet with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Toss to combine, adding reserved pasta water as needed for a silky sauce.
07 - Season with additional salt and black pepper to taste. Remove from heat. Toss with Parmesan, basil, and parsley.
08 - Serve immediately, garnished with extra herbs and cheese as desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The garlic olive oil sauce lets every vegetable maintain its distinct personality while creating a harmonious dish
  • You can adapt this based on whatever colorful produce looks best at the market or languishes in your crisper drawer
02 -
  • The pasta water is not optional it creates the silky emulsion that makes this dish restaurant quality
  • Add hard vegetables first and soft ones last or you will end up with mushy unevenly cooked produce
03 -
  • Cut all vegetables to similar sizes so they cook evenly and no single ingredient dominates
  • Add the lemon juice last minute or the vegetables will lose their bright color
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