One Pot Spring Vegetable Pasta (Printable)
Fresh pasta with spring vegetables cooked in one pot for easy cleanup.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Pasta & Broth
01 - 12 oz penne or fusilli pasta
02 - 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
03 - 1 cup water
→ Spring Vegetables
04 - 1 cup asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
05 - 1 cup sugar snap peas, trimmed
06 - 1 cup zucchini, halved and sliced
07 - 1 cup baby spinach
08 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
09 - 1 small leek, white and light green part, sliced
10 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Flavorings
11 - 2 tbsp olive oil
12 - 1 tsp lemon zest
13 - 2 tbsp lemon juice
14 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
15 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
16 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil or parsley
# How to Prepare:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add sliced leek and minced garlic, sauté until softened, approximately 2 minutes.
02 - Add pasta, vegetable broth, and water to the skillet. Bring to a boil, stir once, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
03 - Stir in asparagus pieces, sugar snap peas, and sliced zucchini. Continue cooking for 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until pasta reaches al dente texture and vegetables are tender-crisp. Most liquid should be absorbed.
04 - Add baby spinach, halved cherry tomatoes, lemon zest, lemon juice, and grated Parmesan cheese. Cook for 2 additional minutes until spinach wilts and tomatoes are heated through.
05 - Remove from heat. Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Garnish with chopped fresh herbs and additional Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The starch from the pasta creates an incredibly silky sauce that hugs every vegetable perfectly
- Clean up is literally one pot, which means more time for wine and less time scrubbing
02 -
- The liquid will look very soupy at first but trust the process as it absorbs and thickens into a silky sauce
- Stir more frequently toward the end when the liquid reduces to prevent anything from sticking to the bottom
03 -
- Reserve a splash of pasta water before the final reduction in case you need to loosen the sauce later
- Grate your own Parmesan instead of buying pre grated for better melting and flavor