This restaurant-quality pasta primavera has a delicious herb cream sauce with penne pasta and a ton of fresh vegetables. This is the best way to get your family to eat their veggies!

Be sure to try my Tomato Basil Pasta recipe next!

Pasta primavera in a skillet with a cream sauce and vegetables.

Pasta Primavera

This Pasta Primavera recipe has savory pasta tossed in a delicious parmesan cream sauce with a fresh, vibrant assortment of vegetables, including broccoli, peppers, onions, zucchini, carrots, peas, and more! 

Some pasta primavera recipes don’t include a cream sauce, but you better believe this one does. (But it’s on the lighter side, made with 50% chicken broth and 50% half and half.) This dish originated at a fancy restaurant in New York called Le Cirque, and their version contained lots of heavy cream, butter, and parmesan. So we’re paying a little homage to the original. 

I can’t wait for you to try this. Be sure to check out my pro tips below!

How to Make It

Note: This is just an overview. See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.

Sauté the broccoli, onions, carrots, and peppers in olive oil over medium-high heat for 3 minutes. Add the zucchini, tomatoes, and peas. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper and cook for 2-3 more minutes. Remove and set aside.

A skillet of vegetables next to a skillet of even more vegetables for pasta primavera.

Melt butter and garlic in the same skillet and add the flour. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the sauce mixture in small splashes, stirring continuously. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Stir the Parmesan cheese into the sauce over low heat, followed by the lemon juice. Add cooked pasta and toss to combine.

Adding penne pasta to a cream sauce for pasta primavera.

 Add the vegetables and toss to combine and heat through. Serve!

Adding cooked vegetables to a skillet of pasta primavera.

Pro Tips

  • This recipe uses 7 cups of vegetables, feel free to utilize whatever veggies you have on hand.
  • Other vegetable options include: Squash, Asparagus, Cauliflower, Mushrooms, Spinach, Eggplant, Green Beans, and Corn. 
  • Pasta options include: Penne, Ziti, Farfalle, and Fusilli.
  • Vegetable broth can be used instead of chicken broth to make this vegetarian. 
  • Grate the cheese from a block for the best consistency and taste. Packaged grated cheese contains cellulose, which prevents it from melting as well. I use Belgioioso Parmesan.
  • Be sure to add the cheese and lemon juice over low heat. If the heat is too high, the dairy can separate and create a grainy consistency.
  • The hot sauce in this recipe is a flavor enhancer that doesn’t make it spicy. I use Frank’s Hot Sauce.
  • 📘 Find this recipe on page 186 of my 2nd cookbook, Let’s Eat!

Storage

  • Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. 
  • Leftovers can be reheated in the microwave (I use “melt” mode which is lower power), or in a makeshift double boiler on the stovetop, which is an even better way to reheat.
  • Cream sauces don’t always reheat quite back to their original consistency, but this one comes close.

Pasta Primavera in a skillet with penne in a cream sauce with colorful vegetables.

Tools For This Recipe

(Amazon affiliate links*)- Check out all of my kitchen essentials here.

  • 3-Quart Stainless Steel Sauté Pan– The same size as pictured in this recipe.
  • 1 quart measuring cup with a spout– This is what I use to combine the gravy ingredients at the beginning. The spout makes it easy to add it to the roux in small splashes. 
  • Spice Rack– This is the one I have, it’s a snap to measure out your seasonings quickly and easily. (Big time saver.)
  • Measuring Spoons– I have these magnetic ones which stay nice and organized in my utensil drawer.
  • Box Cheese Grater– Always grate cheese from a block, it melts and tastes much better. 
  • Pasta Strainer– This is the one I have.
  • Better Than Bouillon– This is what I always use for broth/bouillon in my recipes. It takes very little space and makes it easy to measure out customized amounts of broth.

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Pasta primavera in a skillet with a cream sauce and vegetables.

Pasta Primavera

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
5 from 18 ratings
Servings: 6 people
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This restaurant-quality pasta primavera has a delicious herb cream sauce with penne pasta and a ton of fresh vegetables. There's no better way to get your family to eat their veggies!

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

Sauce

  • 1 ¼ cups chicken broth
  • 1 ¼ cups half and half
  • ½ chicken bouillon cube
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce
  • ¾ teaspoons EACH: dried parsley, basil, oregano, mustard powder
  • 1 pinch red pepper flakes

Vegetables and Pasta

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cups broccoli florets, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • ½ cup carrots, julienned
  • ½ cup red onion, sliced
  • 1 cup red bell pepper, sliced
  • ½ zucchini, cut into chunks (equal to 1 ½ cups)
  • ½ cup frozen peas
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
  • salt/pepper, to taste
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • ½ lb. ziti
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Instructions

  • Combine the sauce ingredients in a large measuring cup with a spout and set aside. Measure out remaining ingredients before beginning.
  • Begin boiling a large pot of water for the pasta. Once a boil is reached, stir in ½ tablespoon salt.
  • Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the broccoli, onions, carrots, and bell peppers and cook for 3 minutes.
  • Add the zucchini, peas, and tomatoes. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove and set aside.
  • Add the butter and garlic in the same skillet over medium heat. Add the flour and stir continuously for 2 minutes.
  • Add the sauce mixture (from step 1) in small splashes, stirring continuously. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
  • Cover partially while you cook the pasta to al dente according to package instructions. Drain once cooked.
  • Reduce heat of the sauce to low and gradually sprinkle in the parmesan cheese until combined, then stir in the lemon juice.
  • Add the drained pasta and stir to combine. Add the vegetables back and toss to combine and heat through.
  • Remove from heat and serve with freshly cracked pepper and fresh lemon slices.

Notes

Pro Tips:
  • This recipe makes a lot of sauce, which is great for coating all of those vegetables as well. Feel free to use up to ¾ lb. pasta instead of ½ if preferred.
  • This recipe uses 7 cups of vegetables, feel free to utilize whatever veggies you have on hand.
  • Other vegetable options include: Squash, Asparagus, Cauliflower, Mushrooms, Spinach, Eggplant, Green Beans, and Corn. 
  • Pasta options include: Penne, Ziti, Farfalle, and Fusilli.
  • Vegetable broth can be used instead of chicken broth to make this vegetarian. 
  • Grate the cheese from a block for the best consistency and taste. Packaged grated cheese contains cellulose, which prevents it from melting as well. I use Belgioioso Parmesan.
  • Be sure to add the cheese and lemon juice over low heat. If the heat is too high, the dairy can separate and create a grainy consistency.
  • The hot sauce in this recipe is a flavor enhancer that doesn't make it spicy. I use Frank's Hot Sauce.
  • 📘 Find this recipe on page 186 of my 2nd cookbook, Let's Eat!
Storage:
  • Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. 
  • Leftovers can be reheated in the microwave (I use "melt" mode which is lower power), or in a makeshift double boiler on the stovetop, which is an even better way to reheat.
  • Cream sauces don't always reheat quite back to their original consistency, but this one comes close.
Nutritional information is an estimate and is per serving. There are 6 servings in this recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 433kcal, Carbohydrates: 46g, Protein: 15g, Fat: 22g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 48mg, Sodium: 729mg, Potassium: 540mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 3500IU, Vitamin C: 77mg, Calcium: 248mg, Iron: 2mg
Did you try this recipe?Mention @TheCozyCook on Instagram or tag #thecozycook!
Course: Main Course, Pasta
Cuisine: American, Italian
Author: Stephanie