Easy Pasta Primavera

The word primavera refers to being served with fresh vegetables; it is from the Italian (alla) primavera, or (in the) spring (style). Pasta primavera is almost always a simple-to-prepare dish using the fresh vegetables of the season.

In spring you might make it with asparagus and peas, later in the summer with tomatoes and zucchini. Sometimes it uses a cream sauce, sometimes a marinara sauce, and sometimes, just with some olive oil and shaved Parmesan.

The following recipe is how my mother likes to prepare Pasta Primavera, with whatever vegetables we have on hand and a little marinara sauce. It takes only 30 minutes to prepare, start to finish. Easy!

Updated from the recipe archive. First posted 2006.

Easy Pasta Primavera Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound fusilli pasta
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 carrot, peeled and cut into 2x1/2-inch strips
• 1/2 red onion, sliced into 1/4-inch slices
• 1 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise, then sliced into 1/4-inch thick slices
• 1/2 small eggplant, sliced into 1/4-inch by 1-inch slices
• 1/2 bell pepper, any color, cut into thin strips
• Salt
• 1 clove garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
• 1/2 cup of tomato sauce (or prepared spaghetti or marinara sauce)
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (dried thyme, oregano, basil)
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 pint of cherry tomatoes, halved
• 6 basil leaves, thinly sliced
• Grated Parmesan optional (omit for vegan version)

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