pasta primavera

There’s nothing like springtime to get me thinking about pasta primavera.

I had pasta primavera on my restaurant menu for years, and it was a customer favorite. The choice of pasta is up to you, but what I’ve found interesting about this version is that I julienne the zucchini and carrots with a julienne peeler (or you can shred it if you don’t have this handy tool) and folded them in with the linguine. This allows you to use as little or as much pasta as you like and gives you the best of both worlds.

The vegetables that take the longest to cook (the broccoli) goes into the pan first, followed by the next densest vegetable and so on. The sauce is made from the juices created in the saute pan so this is a great trick to learn because you can make a wonderful sauce with anything you’re sauteing.

One-Pan Pasta Primavera (Vegan, Gluten-free!)

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Place the pan over medium/high heat, add oil and heat. Add the more firm veggies: broccoli (cook for a minute) followed by the asparagus (and cook that for a minute) and then carrots. If they had been cut in bigger pieces, (or the asparagus had been thick) you would have had to parboil them first because they would still be too firm by the time you finished cooking this dish. This is really an exercise in how each veggie looks and feels to determine how long each needs to cook before adding the next. Make sense?

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Add the garlic and the pepper flakes.  Cook for a few moments then follow with the less dense veggies: zucchini and tomatoes, and follow with the peas.

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Now it’s time to make the roux – just a fancy way of saying to thicken the sauce. So I added a tablespoon or two of flour and stirred it into the pan juices.

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Then I added a splash of wine (optional) and chicken broth (or you can use vegetable). I also add a couple of tablespoons of tomato sauce because I had some on hand. This gives it extra flavor a a richer color.

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Then I pushed the larger veggies to one side and did my best to keep the stringy carrots and zucchini to the other side, and added the linguine. I tossed the pasta, zucchini and carrots in the sauce and got my plates ready.

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Doesn’t this look great in an of itself? I loved the look (and taste – I sneaked a bite) of the strings of linguine mixed in with the strings of carrots and zucchini.

pasta primavera

And then…topped it with the remaining veggies. Simply delicious!

Ingredients

(serves 2)

  • 1/2 lb (.228 kg) gluten-free linguine or a pasta of your choice
  • 10-12 small broccoli spears
  • 10-12 (med/thin) asparagus spears
  • 10-12 grape tomatoes, cut in half
  • 1/2 cup (113.4 g) baby peas
  • 1 small zucchini julienne (or shredded)
  • 1 large carrot julienne (or shredded)
  • 1 small clove garlic, finely chopped
  • pinch of red pepper flakes (for a little heat)
  • 1/4 cup (62.5 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup (125 ml) vegetable (or chicken) broth
  • Splash of white wine
  • 2 Tbsp (28.4g) gluten-free rice flour (or flour of your choice)
  • 2-3 Tbsp. tomato sauce (or 1 Tbsp. tomato paste)

Instructions

Cook pasta in rapidly boiling, salted water according to package directions.

Drain when done being careful not to overcook. It should be cooked but still quite firm to the bite.

Place a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add olive oil until hot but not smoking.

Add broccoli and cook for a minute. Follow with asparagus and cook for a minute more.

Add carrots, stir, and then add the garlic and pepper flakes. Cook just until garlic begins to brown and add the tomatoes, zucchini and peas.

Move vegetables to the side of the pan. Add flour to the liquid in the pan, stir into a paste and cook for a few moments. (If using tomato paste, add it now.)

Add the broth slowly and stir to incorporate with the paste. Add the tomato sauce, if using, stir, and blend with the vegetables.

Season with salt and pepper and let it cook for 2 or 3 more minutes or until the broth has reduced, is slightly thickened, and the broccoli and asparagus are still bright green and slightly underdone.

Move the broccoli and asparagus to the side of the pan (or remove them from the pan).

Add the cooked pasta to the liquid part of the sauce and stir with the zucchini, carrots (and any peas that are there).

Add the pasta to individual plates or to a serving dish. Top with the remaining vegetables and serve!

 

Do you like this dish? Tell me why.

Can you think of ways on how you can make this your own? I want to know.

Leave a comment below.

 

27 Comments
  1. Krystal Bernier April 10, 2014 at 10:32 pm - Reply

    This looks delicious and I’m a big fan of one pot meals. I’ve shared with my peeps!

  2. chefsilvia April 10, 2014 at 11:05 pm - Reply

    Thanks Krystal. I really appreciate it!

    • January December 23, 2016 at 8:57 pm - Reply

      Exactly! The whole point of social media is being social. Sharing other content you find fascinating and just interacting with people. It’s definitely helped me as well. Thanks Brooke!D. Dixon recently poes#d&t8230;

  3. Sarah Koszyk April 11, 2014 at 12:43 am - Reply

    So fresh and clean! Love the beautiful colors! Hello spring time!

  4. chefsilvia April 11, 2014 at 1:03 am - Reply

    I thought so too Sarah! Thank you so much for your comment.

  5. Luigi April 11, 2014 at 12:32 pm - Reply

    Ciao Silvia,
    This dish looks delicious, i will try soon.

    Arrivederci

  6. Angelica April 11, 2014 at 4:25 pm - Reply

    Looks super yummy and simple! Will be trying this soon! :)

  7. Melissa April 11, 2014 at 5:08 pm - Reply

    Wow this looks amazing girl! I will be forwarding this to my friends ;-)

    What tools do you use for slicing the carrots and zucchini? I am heading to the store today to grab these ingredients! So excited!

  8. chefsilvia April 11, 2014 at 5:32 pm - Reply

    Thanks Melissa and good question. The tool is a julienne peeler. it looks like a potato peeler but it has lots of cutting edges. You can find them in kitchen stores or here’s a link for them on amazon:
    http://www.amazon.com/OXO-Good-Grips-Julienne-Peeler/dp/B0000CCY1S/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1397237419&sr=8-5&keywords=vegetable+julienne+peeler

  9. Robin April 11, 2014 at 10:07 pm - Reply

    Yum! Looks like a great way to get the kids to eat their veggies!

    • chefsilvia April 16, 2014 at 1:41 pm - Reply

      Yes Robin! And you can use whatever vegetables they like.

  10. Elise April 13, 2014 at 11:52 pm - Reply

    Silvia,
    I love how simple you make it seem. This dish is so pretty with all the colors. I am going to make it, but instead of adding pasta, I am going to double up on the strings of zucchini. Thanks for always sharing and inspiring! xo

    • chefsilvia April 16, 2014 at 1:42 pm - Reply

      Yep Elise! That’s really the beauty of it…you can change it up!

  11. Lacy April 14, 2014 at 6:36 pm - Reply

    YUM! I love a one-dish dinner. I’ll be sharing this for sure!

  12. lily April 15, 2014 at 4:08 pm - Reply

    Nothing like a quick and easy one-pot meal. My kinda dish. I think I’ll try it with all fresh zucchini and carrot noodles in place of the rice pasta. I just love all the colors!

    • chefsilvia April 16, 2014 at 1:43 pm - Reply

      Exactly my reason for sharing this Lily. Everyone can do with it what they like.

  13. Court April 16, 2014 at 2:07 am - Reply

    Chef Silvia, I love this dish! You always bring something fresh and remind me that it’s not too difficult to do at home too! you add a couple of details that I believe are missing in most “recipes” but are the secrets that only chefs know. When you add your details in like that, it shows me how that little something extra takes something to the next level of deliciousness! Thanks for the Spring time inspiration.

    • chefsilvia April 16, 2014 at 1:44 pm - Reply

      Court. I love this comment. Thank you so much! It meant so much to me.

  14. Camesha April 16, 2014 at 5:13 am - Reply

    I love this dish. I usually have it with grilled chicken. Deelish!

  15. Allison Carr April 16, 2014 at 6:55 pm - Reply

    This takes me back to childhood. Pasta Primavera was one of my all time favorite meals. I would try and try to make it right, but I didn’t have the skill, I needed this recipe!

  16. nick catricala June 26, 2014 at 5:09 pm - Reply

    Hey Silvia,
    THANKS for adding a Vegan recipe.. I love pasta and having a great dish like this made my Vegan Dinner MUCH more enjoyable… Now you know :-)

    Thanks so much for all you do to bring great food to life.

    _nickc and
    _ Your -:- InnerVeritas -:- Team
    The Path to Fulfilling LifeStyles

    • chefsilvia June 26, 2014 at 5:59 pm - Reply

      Hi there Nick! So glad you like this. I love pasta too and am always looking for ways and types of pasta (homemade using organic flour, tasty GF brands, etc) that are healthier because I know I’ll never stop eating and loving it.

      Thanks for your feedback and awesome comment. Much love back to you.

    • Betsey December 24, 2016 at 7:25 am - Reply

      Oui, Guillaume et Cochonfucius.Je partage, approuve.. sans négocier.D’autres « formules » , tendances journalistiques, m’amusent aussi :« au milieu de nulle part » « l’ambiance est palpable » mais je m’amuse aussi de mes propres expressions hasardeuses, au risque de quelque &lp;;o;&nbspucoaié/collé &raquoqMerci pour le blog

  17. Kailey December 23, 2016 at 8:56 pm - Reply

    Ma non stavamo pagando la Berlusconi tax? non s&a9g0;&e3r#ve; visto 1 punto di miglioramento. Complimenti a chi teorizzava questa fesseria, i giochi sono un bel pò più grandi. 

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