One Pot Spring Vegetable Pasta (Printer-friendly)
Fresh spring vegetables and pasta simmer together in one pot for a quick, colorful vegetarian meal.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 1 cup asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
02 - 1 cup sugar snap peas, trimmed and halved
03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1 cup zucchini, diced
05 - 1 cup baby spinach
→ Pasta
06 - 12 oz penne or fusilli pasta, uncooked
→ Aromatics & Flavorings
07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
09 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
10 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
11 - 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
12 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
13 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
→ Liquids
14 - 4 cups vegetable broth
→ Garnish
15 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
16 - 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
17 - Zest of 1 lemon
# How-To Guide:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté for 2–3 minutes until fragrant and translucent.
02 - Add asparagus, sugar snap peas, zucchini, and cherry tomatoes. Cook, stirring, for 2–3 minutes until slightly softened.
03 - Stir in pasta, crushed red pepper flakes, Italian herbs, salt, and black pepper. Pour in vegetable broth and bring to a boil.
04 - Reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente and most of the liquid is absorbed.
05 - Stir in baby spinach and cook for 1–2 minutes until wilted.
06 - Remove from heat. Stir in Parmesan cheese, lemon zest, and fresh basil. Adjust seasoning if necessary.
07 - Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan and basil if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The pasta cooks directly in vegetable broth, absorbing all that spring flavor while creating its own silky sauce
- One pot means you spend more time eating and approximately zero minutes scrubbing multiple pans
02 -
- The sauce thickens considerably as it stands off the heat, so dont worry if it looks a bit soupy when you first take the lid off
- Reserve a splash of pasta water before the liquid fully absorbs, just in case you need to loosen things up later
03 -
- Cut your vegetables into similar sizes so they cook evenly and finish at the same time
- Use a high quality vegetable broth since it reduces down and becomes the primary flavor carrier