Rainbow Veggie Pasta Primavera (Print version)

Colorful bow-tie pasta with spring vegetables in garlic olive oil sauce

# What You'll 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 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
11 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
12 - 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
13 - 1/2 tsp sea salt
14 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
15 - Zest of 1 lemon
16 - 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

→ Garnish

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

# How-To Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the bow-tie pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining.
02 - 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. Cook for 3–4 minutes until they begin to soften.
04 - Stir in red onion, bell pepper, and yellow squash with a pinch of salt. Sauté another 3–4 minutes until vegetables are tender-crisp and vibrant.
05 - Add cherry tomatoes and frozen peas. Cook for 2 minutes until heated through.
06 - Add drained pasta to the skillet with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Toss thoroughly, adding reserved pasta water as needed to achieve a silky consistency.
07 - Season with additional salt and black pepper to taste. Remove from heat and toss with Parmesan, basil, and parsley.
08 - Serve immediately, garnished with additional fresh herbs and cheese if desired.

# Tips from the pros:

01 -
  • The light garlic and olive oil sauce lets the fresh vegetables truly shine instead of hiding them under heavy cream or cheese
  • Everything cooks in one pan and you can have dinner on the table in under 40 minutes
  • Its one of those dishes that looks impressive but is actually incredibly forgiving
02 -
  • Reserving pasta water is the secret to a silky cohesive sauce that clings to every piece of pasta
  • Dont overcook the vegetables they should be tender-crisp not mushy and vibrant
  • The lemon zest goes in before juice because the oils in the zest need heat to release their full fragrance
03 -
  • Work quickly once you start adding vegetables to maintain that perfect tender-crisp texture
  • Use a microplane for the lemon zest to get just the outer yellow layer without the bitter white pith
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