Pasta primavera

Name: Pasta primavera
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients: 60g unsalted butter; 1 small onion, chopped; 2 baby leeks, chopped; 1 small carrot, chopped; 1 celery stick, chopped; 1 garlic clove, chopped; 350g asparagus – chop up the bottom half, keep the top half whole (or use green beans – keep half whole, then chop the rest in half); 125g petits pois, defrosted if frozen; 200ml vegetable stock; 100ml white wine (optional – use extra stock if not using); 250-300g pack good quality egg pasta, such as fettucine or pappardelle; 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; Freshly grated parmesan or vegetarian hard cheese to serve

By: Jen Bedloe
Former head of food delicious.

Published: 26 Apr 21
Updated: 2 May 24

Test kitchen approved

Pasta primavera is an Italian-American recipe, thought to have been invented in the 1970s. Primavera means ‘spring’ in Italian and in this speedy supper, baby spring vegetables are lightly cooked, then tossed with fettucine (or other long wide pasta) in a silky smooth, buttery sauce.

If you love asparagus pasta dishes, try our asparagus cacio e pepe – it’s simplicity in a dish.

Serves 4
Hands on time 20 min

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Ingredients

60g unsalted butter
1 small onion, chopped
2 baby leeks, chopped
1 small carrot, chopped
1 celery stick, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
350g asparagus – chop up the bottom half, keep the top half whole (or use green beans – keep half whole, then chop the rest in half)
125g petits pois, defrosted if frozen
200ml vegetable stock
100ml white wine (optional – use extra stock if not using)
250-300g pack good quality egg pasta, such as fettucine or pappardelle
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly grated parmesan or vegetarian hard cheese to serve

Method

Melt the butter with the oil in a large saucepan or sauté pan over a low-medium heat. Add the onion, leeks, carrot and celery and cook for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, asparagus/beans and peas, stirring frequently until nearly tender, around 8 minutes.
Add the stock, and wine if using, then simmer gently until almost all the liquid has evaporated and the vegetables are fully tender. Season to taste, then leave on a low heat.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pan of boiling salted water, according to the pack instructions, until al dente (firm to the bite). Drain loosely, then add to the pan of sauce along with the olive oil, tossing well to coat the pasta. Serve straight away in warmed pasta bowls, topped with a scattering of freshly grated cheese (see Tips).

Recipe from April 2021 Issue

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 494kcals
Fat: 20.2g (9.1g saturated)
Protein: 13.6g
Carbohydrates: 55.2g (7.8g sugars)
Fibre: 9.5g
Salt: trace salt

delicious. tips

For a creamy version, stir in 100ml crème fraîche or double cream to the finished sauce and simmer for 2 minutes to gently warm through.

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Pasta primavera

Ingredients

Method

Nutrition

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Pasta primavera

Ingredients

Method

Nutrition

delicious. tips

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Asparagus and spring onion tart

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Pea green orzotto

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