Description
Pasta Primavera is a classic Italian-American dish featuring linguine tossed with a medley of fresh vegetables and a rich, creamy sauce made with butter, heavy cream, and Parmigiano Reggiano. This recipe balances indulgence with a bounty of colorful, tender-crisp vegetables including mushrooms, zucchini, broccolini, snow peas, asparagus, green peas, and cherry tomatoes. Finished with toasted pine nuts and fresh basil, it offers a delightful texture and aromatic flavor. Perfect for a satisfying yet wholesome meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Pastas and Vegetables
- 300g / 10 oz linguine (fettucine, or other long and flat pasta)
- 150g / 5 oz white mushrooms, sliced 0.4cm / 1/6″ thick (~8 pieces)
- 1/2 large zucchini, cut into 0.5cm / 0.2″ rounds (100g/4 oz piece)
- 1 bunch broccolini
- 1 1/2 cup snow peas (~10 pieces, 75g/2.5oz)
- 1 bunch green asparagus (~8 to 10 stalks)
- 1 cup green peas, defrosted
- 10 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
Aromatics and Seasonings
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 tsp cooking/kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Dairy and Fats
- 5 tbsp / 75 g unsalted butter
- 1 cup thickened / heavy cream
- 1/2 cup Parmigiano reggiano, finely grated (substitute regular parmesan if needed)
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Liquid and Garnishes
- 1/3 cup pasta cooking water, reserved just before draining
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, finely sliced
- 2 tbsp pine nuts, toasted
Instructions
- Prepare Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the linguine until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1/3 cup of the pasta cooking water before draining the pasta. Drain and set pasta aside.
- Cook Vegetables: Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant. Add the sliced mushrooms, zucchini rounds, broccolini, snow peas, and asparagus. Stir frequently and cook the vegetables until they are tender-crisp, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add green peas and cherry tomatoes in the last 2 minutes of cooking to warm through but retain freshness.
- Make the Sauce: Lower heat and add the unsalted butter to the cooked vegetables. Once melted, stir in the heavy cream and let it simmer until slightly thickened. Mix in the finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano, salt, and black pepper, stirring continuously to create a creamy sauce that coats the vegetables well.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Add the cooked linguine to the pan with the vegetable cream sauce. Toss gently, adding the reserved pasta cooking water a little at a time to loosen the sauce and help it coat the pasta evenly.
- Finish and Serve: Stir in the sliced fresh basil leaves and toasted pine nuts. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve the pasta warm as a hearty yet vegetable-packed main course.
Notes
- Recipe video is available for visual guidance.
- This recipe was popularized by Le Cirque restaurant in NYC and first published in the 1970’s.
- Timing to cook all vegetables to tender-crisp perfection simultaneously is key.
- Do not skip the pine nuts; they add a signature crunchy finishing touch.
- To reduce calories, consider substituting some cream with broth or reducing butter, as discussed in the original note 1.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 874 kcal
- Sugar: 11 g
- Sodium: 825 mg
- Fat: 56 g
- Saturated Fat: 27 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 24 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 74 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 23 g
- Cholesterol: 116 mg
