Name: Pasta Primavera
Total time: 40 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 1 lb. short pasta (such as gemelli); Kosher salt; ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil; 4 garlic cloves, finely grated; ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes; 8 oz. asparagus, trimmed, cut into 1" pieces; 4 oz. green beans, preferably haricots verts, trimmed, cut into 1" pieces; 1½ pints grape tomatoes; ¾ cup frozen peas; ⅔ cup heavy cream; 2 oz. Parmesan cheese, finely grated (about 1 cup); 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into pieces; 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar; 1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest; ½ cup finely chopped fresh basil, plus more fresh basil leaves for serving; Freshly ground black pepper; ⅓ cup toasted nuts (such as pine nuts, pistachios, or walnuts), chopped if large (optional)

Two bowls of pasta primavera with gemelli asparagus grape tomatoes peas basil and shredded parm.

Photo by Travis Rainey, Prop styling by Christine Keely, Food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich

Pasta primavera, that celebration of fresh vegetables and weeknight ease, translates to “spring pasta,” but no one will blame you if you make it in summer, fall, or even smack in the middle of winter. Of course, tender asparagus and crisp green beans are at their best in primavera, but the ingredients have become such staples at grocery stores you really can pull this dish off any time of year.

What makes this particular pasta primavera recipe truly special is the cooking technique. First, you’ll boil the pasta in a large pot of water and then drain it, reserving some of the pasta cooking liquid. Next, you’ll use the same pot to sauté the veg and build the lemony Parmesan cream sauce, which takes all of 10 minutes combined. (One pot, easy cleanup.)

Grape tomatoes add balanced acidity (cherry tomatoes would work too), but a small glug of balsamic vinegar gives the dish a flavorful depth. As the season wanes, you can swap the green vegetables for other farmers market favorites, such as thinly sliced zucchini, yellow squash, or red bell pepper.

Finish this creamy pasta dish with a shower of fresh herbs and something crunchy—toasted pistachios, pine nuts, or crushed walnuts all work well.

Recipe notes