This Weeknight Pasta Primavera combines tender pasta and crisp, fresh veggies in a rich, creamy garlic sauce for a deliciously satisfying family dinner.
Our family loves pasta and this weeknight pasta dish is one of our favorites! It is an easy weeknight meal to throw together once all of the prep work is done.
The addition of fresh veggies into the pasta and sauce makes this feel like a lighter and brighter summer pasta, even in the winter. The veggies cook right in the pasta water as the pasta finishes up cooking!
What You’ll Need to Make Weeknight Pasta Primavera
- Butter – We use regular salted butter, but unsalted butter may also be used.
- Onion – We use one small yellow onion, about 1 cup, chopped. White onions, sweet onions, red onions, or even shallots may be used instead.
- Whole Mushrooms – White or Baby Bella Mushrooms, quartered. We use an 8 oz package.
- Garlic – We use 2-3 cloves minced, about 1 teaspoon. You can substitute garlic paste, minced garlic, chopped garlic, or in a pinch, use 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Diced Tomatoes – One can, 14 oz, regular or petite diced.
- Heavy Cream – If you don’t have heavy cream, substitutions include half and half or evaporated milk in equal amounts.
- Fettuccine Noodles – We use the dried fettuccine noodles in the one pound box.
- Vegetables – Fresh asparagus and zucchini cut into bite sized pieces, one cup of frozen peas (kept frozen).
- Parmesan Cheese – Shredded. You can substitute grated if you prefer.
- Lemon Juice – Juice of half of a medium lemon, about 1 1/2 tablespoons.
- Basil – 2 tsp dried basil or 2 tbsp fresh, chopped.
- Salt & Pepper – To taste.
How to make Weeknight Pasta Primavera
This easy weeknight pasta dish is packed full of vegetables and pasta in a creamy garlic tomato sauce. Hearty and satisfying!
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil over high heat.
In the meantime, melt butter over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add chopped onion and mushrooms.
Cook 5-7 minutes until onions are translucent and mushrooms have cooked down slightly.
Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds, then stir in tomatoes and cream and turn the heat to high.
As the sauce cooks, add the fettuccine noodles to the now boiling water and cook until pasta begins to soften, about 8 minutes.
Bring the sauce mixture to a boil, stirring constantly, then remove the pan from heat and set aside.
Add asparagus, zucchini and frozen peas to boiling pasta water and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
Drain the pasta and vegetables and return to the pot.
Pour the sauce mixture over the pasta and vegetables and then add the shredded Parmesan cheese, lemon juice and basil.
Stir until noodles are coated and the vegetables are well distributed throughout.
Serve immediately, sprinkled with fresh parsley and fresh ground black pepper if desired. Enjoy!
Other Easy Weeknight Recipes You May Like
Easy Instant Pot Mongolian Beef – This is a delicious take on traditional Mongolian Beef that takes a fraction of the time and has delicious results!
Weeknight Shrimp Portofino – A light pasta dish featuring shrimp and marinated artichokes, perfect weeknight fare.
Simple Weeknight Meatloaf – Simple and easy comfort food that is a throwback to childhood and a piece of cake to throw together on a weeknight. You can make it the night before and just pop it in the oven too!
Mom’s Easy Weeknight Chili – This is a basic chili recipe with few ingredients but sometimes uncomplicated is the most delicious!
Spinach and Sausage Spaghetti Pie – With Italian sausage and spinach hidden inside this is an unexpectedly good (and super easy!) weeknight creation that the entire family will love.
Weeknight Pasta Primavera
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 cup onion chopped
- 2 cups whole mushrooms, quartered 8 oz package
- 1 tsp garlic, minced 2-3 cloves
- 1 can diced tomatoes 14 oz
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 box dried fettuccine noodles 1 pound
- 1 pound fresh asparagus cut into bite sized pieces
- 1 cup zucchini cut into bite sized pieces
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp dried basil or 2 tbsp fresh, chopped
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil over high heat.
- In the meantime, melt butter over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add chopped onion and mushrooms and cook 5-7 minutes until onions are translucent and mushrooms have cooked down slightly.
- Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds, then stir in tomatoes and cream and turn the heat to high.
- Bring the sauce mixture to a boil, stirring constantly, then remove the pan from heat and set aside.
- As the sauce cooks, add the fettuccine noodles to the now boiling water and cook until pasta begins to soften, about 8 minutes.
- Add asparagus, zucchini and frozen peas to boiling pasta water and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Drain the pasta and vegetables and return to the pot. Pour the sauce mixture over the pasta and vegetables and then add the shredded Parmesan cheese, lemon juice and basil.
- Stir until noodles are coated and the vegetables are well distributed throughout.
- Serve immediately, sprinkled with fresh parsley and fresh ground black pepper if desired. Enjoy!
Nutrition *
* The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator.
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