Easy Tasty Creamy Pasta Primavera Recipe
Delicious Spring Veggies with Creamy Ricotta and Pasta create a lovely Pasta Primavera!
Easy, Tasty, Creamy Pasta Primavera Recipe with sauteed squashes, spring asparagus, garlic, capers, cherry tomatoes, lemon, and creamy Italian Ricotta! This is a recipe I have made for several years, and it has all the anti-inflammatory goodness while being delicious! The capers and white wine vinegar add lovely acidity. This is always a hit! The creamy mouth feel of the ricotta with all the tender veggies and sweet tomatoes blend into a beautiful meal. You can serve this alone or with my Mediterranean Chicken recipe. This recipe is Gluten-Free, but you can use any pasta of choice if you are not Gluten Intolerant.
Primavera means ‘Spring’ in Italian
Primavera means ‘spring,’ and spring has sprung in Northern California. Steve and I took a long drive through the rolling farmlands Sunday, and everything was awash with mustard flowers!
There were baby sheep and cows, and all was a glorious lush green. After three years of drought, this was like heaven to the senses. In my backyard, a bird has made a nest in my eves and is sitting on her eggs. I tried to take a picture this morning, but the nest is too high. Spring is here! Sigh.
Although many incarnations of Pasta Primavera are online, this version is gluten-free and combines all the spring veggies with creamy Italian Ricotta.
Ingredients for Creamy Pasta Primavera
- Good quality Ricotta. Check the label and find a brand without additives and fillers.
- Pasta – I used Gluten-Free Penne Pasta, but you can use Fettuccine, Spaghetti or Fuselli Pasta
- Asparagus
- Herbs de Provance
- Garlic
- Capers
- Olive Oil
- Zucchini
- Yellow Squash
- Cherry Tomatoes
- Italian Parsley
- Lemon
How to Make Creamy Primavera Recipe
Step 1– Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and place in a large serving bowl.
Step 2 – Saute one clove of minced garlic over medium flame in two tablespoons of olive oil. Add Zucchini and Yellow Squash.
Step 3 – Add Asparagus, Herbs de Provance, and one teaspoon of White Wine Vinegar, and continue to saute for 3-4 minutes. Add halved cherry tomatoes and capers, and caper juice. Saute for two more minutes and remove from heat.
Step 4 – Pour all the veggies over the pasta and add five to six large scoops of ricotta. I used an ice cream scooper. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Step 5 – Toss at the table! Squeeze a lemon over the pasta. The ricotta will melt into the pasta, making a lovely creamy sauce.
This is an easy, healthy, light spring and summer evening recipe you will enjoy time and again.
Variations of Spring Gluten-Free Pasta
- Add sliced Red Peppers
- Add grated Mozzarella
- Add broccoli or carrots
- You can sub out the Herbs de Provance for Italian herbs
- Sub Penne Pasta for Fusilli Pasta
Easy Tasty Creamy Pasta Primavera Recipe
Creamy, decadent Pasta Primavera with lots of Spring forward veggies!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Method: Saute
- Cuisine: Mediterranean Diet
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 2 cups good Ricotta – enough for 5–6 scoops
- 20 Spears Asparagus – cut into thirds
- Herbs de Provance – 1 Tablespoon
- Garlic – 1 Teaspoon Minced
- Capers – 1 Tablespoon and a Teaspoon of Caper Liquid
- Olive Oil – 2-3 Tablespoons
- Zucchini – 1 large, medium dice
- Yellow Squash – 1 large, medium dice
- Cherry Tomatoes – 1 cup, cut in half
- Italian Parsley – 1/2 cup chopped as garnish
- 1 Pound Penne Pasta (Gluten-Free or Regular)
Instructions
Start by bringing a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and place in a large serving bowl.
Meanwhile, saute one clove of minced garlic over medium flame in two tablespoons of olive oil for one minute. Add Zucchini and Yellow Squash.
Add Asparagus, Herbs de Provance, and one teaspoon of White Wine Vinegar, and continue to saute for 3-4 minutes. Veggies should be al dente or to your preferred taste. Add halved cherry tomatoes, capers, and 1/2 teaspoon of caper juice.
Saute for two more minutes and remove from heat.
Pour all the veggies over the pasta and add five to six large scoops of ricotta. I used an ice cream scooper. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Toss at the table! The ricotta will melt into the pasta, making a lovely creamy sauce.
This is an easy, healthy, light spring and summer evening recipe you will enjoy time and again.
Notes
This is an easy weeknight recipe and perfect for a party. It can be a side dish or a main dish. It also keeps well overnight for leftovers the next day!
