Lemony butter provides the perfect sauce for this Whole Wheat Pasta Primavera. Add any of your favorite veggies and you'll have a perfect Spring dinner.
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What's in this Recipe?
Pasta Primavera is a recipe that originated in the 70s. It was created to use all the delicious vegetables that are available during the Summer and Spring.
Whole Wheat Pasta-Whole wheat pasta is full of fiber and protein. There are tons of different types of pasta you can find in the stores. If you prefer a gluten free variety, or a chick pea pasta that would work perfectly here as well.
Veggies- I used zucchini, red onion, peppers, string beans, and broccoli in this recipe. If you have asparagus on hand use that! Add some cherry tomatoes if you would like. This recipe is very versatile. You can feel free to use whichever veggies are your family's favorite.
Herbs- Fresh herbs are best for the lemon butter.. Dried herbs are much more powerful, so if you did want to use dried herbs, make sure you only use a little bit of them. For every tablespoon of fresh herbs, use a teaspoon of dried herbs. Use dried herbs to roast the veggies, but fresh herbs in the butter.
How to Make Whole Wheat Pasta Primavera
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Wash all the veggies. Spray a cooking sheet with cooking spray. Cut the zucchini, carrots, red onion, and peppers into strips. Add the string beans and cut broccoli. Spray with more cooking spray and top with dried oregano, salt, and pepper. Place the sheet pan in the oven for 20 minutes.
While the veggies roast, boil water and cook the pasta according to the package instructions.
In a small bowl, add one stick of softened butter. Top with the fresh herbs, parmesan cheese, zest of 2 lemons, and juice of 2 lemons. Stir everything together to combine. If the butter is too hard, use a hand mixer to beat the butter together and to fully mix everything together. Set that aside.
When the veggies are done roasting, add them to the bottom of a large bowl. Top with veggies with the lemon butter. Drain the pasta, but keep ½ cup of pasta water aside. Place the drained pasta into the bowl with the roasted veggies and butter. Mix everything to combine and allow the butter to melt. Top with some more parsley and serve. This dish can be a delicious main dish or you could add a piece of chicken to make it a hearty and delicious meal!
Questions about Whole Wheat Pasta Primavera
I wouldn't freeze this recipe. Pasta tends to not freeze well. You could precook the veggies, make the lemon butter, and set that all aside in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook the pasta.
Chicken marinated in lemon would be perfect with this dish. Since this dish is so light, you could also make a piece of fish or some grilled shrimp with this. If you wanted just a vegetarian dish, feel free to serve this as is.
Chives and tarragon would go perfectly with this dish. Any spring veggies would work. Asparagus, yellow squash, different types of peppers, and cauliflower would be perfect in this dish. You would roast all those veggies just the way you roast these.
Other Recipes to Try!
Did you give this Whole Wheat Pasta Primavera a try? I’d love to hear from you! Give me a shout on Instagram or Facebook and let me know!
- Salsa Verde Chicken Bake
- Easy Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
- Easy Pepperoni Pizza Meatballs
- Light and Crisp Sourdough Waffles
Whole Wheat Pasta Primavera
Ingredients
- 1 lb Whole Wheat Pasta
- 1 Zucchini Large
- 2 Carrots Medium
- 1 Red Onion
- 6 Mini Peppers or 1 large bell pepper
- 2 cups String Beans
- 2 cups Broccoli Chopped
- 1 tablespoon Dried Oregano
- 1 Stick Butter softened to room temperature
- ½ cup Parmesan Cheese
- 2 tablespoon Fresh Basil
- 2 tablespoon Fresh Parsley
- 2 Lemons Juice and Zest
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°.
- Spray the baking sheet with cooking spray.
- Cut the zucchini into sticks and place it on the baking sheet.
- Peel and cut the carrots into sticks and place them on the baking sheet.
- Peel and cut the red onion and place it on the baking sheet.
- Cut the peppers and place them on the baking sheet.
- Add the string beans and broccoli to the baking sheet. Season with oregano, salt, and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes.
- While the vegetables roast, in a small bowl add the softened butter. Add the zest and juice of the lemon, parmesan cheese, and fresh basil and parsley. Mix everything to combine. If the butter is still too hard, use a hand mixer to mix everything thoroughly.
- Boil water and cook the pasta according to the package instructions.
- When the vegetables are cooked, place them in a large bowl, top them with the lemon butter.
- When the pasta is done, save ½ cup of the pasta water. Drain the rest of the pasta and add the drained pasta to the bowl with the vegetables. If the pasta is dry, add the pasta water to the bowl. Mix everything to combine and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use your favorite herbs in this recipe. Basil, chives, tarragon, and parsley are all great options.
- To add more protein to this dish, top with grilled chicken or grilled salmon.
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