Rainbow Veggie Pasta Primavera (Printable)

Vibrant bow-tie pasta with spring vegetables, garlic, and lemon in a light olive oil sauce.

# What You Need:

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

→ Garnish

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

# Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook bow-tie pasta according to package instructions 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 minced garlic and red pepper flakes, sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add carrots, broccoli, and asparagus to the skillet. 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 tender yet retain their vibrant color.
05 - Stir in cherry tomatoes and peas. Cook for 2 minutes until heated through.
06 - Add drained pasta to the skillet along with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Toss to combine, adding reserved pasta water as needed to achieve a silky sauce.
07 - Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and black pepper as needed.
08 - Remove from heat. Toss with Parmesan cheese if desired, fresh basil, and parsley.
09 - Serve immediately, garnished with additional fresh herbs and cheese as desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It turns vegetables into the main event without feeling like you're trying too hard to be healthy.
  • The colors alone make you feel accomplished before you even taste it.
  • Everything comes together in one skillet, so cleanup doesn't ruin the vibe.
  • It's flexible enough to raid your crisper drawer and still turn out gorgeous.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving the pasta water—plain water won't do the same job because you need that starch to help the oil cling to everything.
  • Cook your vegetables in stages based on how long they take to soften, or you'll end up with mushy squash and crunchy carrots in the same bite.
  • Add the lemon juice at the end, not during cooking, or the acid will dull the bright green color of your vegetables.
03 -
  • Use a vegetable peeler to shave the carrots into ribbons instead of julienning them—they cook faster and look elegant with almost no knife work.
  • If your pasta water is well-salted, you might not need to add much more salt at the end, so taste before you season.
  • Toss the pasta with a tiny bit of olive oil right after draining if you're not adding it to the skillet immediately, so it doesn't stick into a clump.
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