Pasta primavera is a celebration of spring vegetables in a bowl! This quick, one-pot, pasta is as customizable as it is delicious. Feel free to swap in your favorite in-season vegetables to make this pasta your own!
You can think of this pasta as a template of sorts because of how customizable it is. You can swap the vegetables listed for any of your favorites or what you have on hand. Keep the vegetables all about the same size so they cook evenly in the same pan, and avoid root vegetables like potatoes unless you want to cook them separately.
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What's In This Post
What you can change about this pasta primavera:
- If you eat meat you can add chicken, ground turkey/beef, or chicken sausage! Veggie “meat”, chickpeas, or white beans would work as well.
- You can also add more veggies such as mushrooms, peas, spinach, kale, red onion, cauliflower, zucchini, or summer squash.
- Any type of pasta will work, so use whichever you prefer! Protein pasta would work here too. Use GF pasta if needed.
- Red Pepper Flakes are optional- skip them if you don’t like heat!
- The capers add a salty tang to this pasta, but that can easily be swapped for your favorite olives or left out entirely.
- If you don’t want to use cherry or grape tomatoes, you could chop up larger tomatoes (remove the seeds) or use sun-dried instead.
Related: How Long Do Meals Last: A Quick Cheat Sheet
What is primavera sauce made of?
The sauce used in pasta primavera is super simple which keeps the dish light and delicious! The main ingredients of our primavera sauce are butter, parmesan, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. For a creamier and more classic primavera sauce, you can add cream!
Related: 12 One-Pan Dinner Ideas You Can Also Meal Prep
How to double or add more volume to this meal:
To double this meal, simply double the ingredients. You will probably need to cook in batches or in two pans at once. To add more volume to this meal, I recommend doubling up on broccoli or adding in a protein like chicken or white beans.
How do I store pasta primavera?
This meal can last in the fridge for up to four days and is freezer-friendly. It’s best when reheated in the microwave or on the stove. I recommend adding a splash of water to the container before reheating and/or reheating the container partially covered to revive the pasta.
Happy Prepping!
Related: How To Keep Produce Fresh: Storage Tips For Fruits & Veggies
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- 20-Minute Ground Beef Pasta With Swiss Chard
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- Lemon Garlic Orzo & Broccoli Skillet With Sausage
- Sheet Pan Ratatouille Pasta
Check out our full catalog of free, meal prep-friendly recipes here!
Beginner
Meal Prep Pasta Primavera
Ingredients
- 1 TBSP butter sub olive oil
- 1 shallot diced
- 8 oz short pasta I used penne
- 3 cup water
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 head broccoli chopped small
- 1 bunch asparagus chopped small
- 14 oz can of artichoke hearts drained and chopped
- 10 oz cherry tomatoes sub grape tomatoes, cut in half
- 1 TBSP capers optional, sub chopped olives
- 2 clove garlic minced or grated
- 1 lemon juiced
- 2 TBSP butter
- 1/2 cup parmesan
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes optional, skip if you don't like heat
Instructions
- In a big skillet over medium heat, add the butter and let it melt. Add the shallot and a pinch of salt, and cook for 2-3 minutes until the shallot has softened and darkened in color.
- Add the pasta, water, salt, and turn heat up to medium-high. Bring the pasta to a boil uncovered, then lower the heat back down to medium and continue cooking the pasta. Stir often so the pasta does not get stuck together or to the bottom of the pot. After 5-7 minutes most of the water will be absorbed and the pasta will be almost al dente. Add the broccoli and asparagus and continue to stir often until the vegetables are bright in color and the pasta is al dente, about 3-4 more minutes.
- Most of the water will be absorbed at this point, but you will have some left at the bottom. This will help make the sauce. Add the artichoke hearts, tomatoes, capers, garlic, 1/2 the lemon juice, butter, and parmesan. Stir everything well with a sturdy spatula and continuously mix to melt the butter and parmesan into the sauce.
- Taste the pasta, vegetables, and sauce and add salt and pepper. Add more lemon or capers if necessary, and add red pepper flakes if you like heat.
- Transfer the pasta to the containers with a large spoon. Once all the pasta is divided, spoon in any leftover sauce into the meal prep containers equally. If there is a lot of extra sauce, put some in a separate container to use to add to the pasta when you reheat it. Once the pasta is cooled, put the lids on and put in the fridge. That’s it!