Easy Pasta Primavera with Pesto

This easy pasta primavera recipe is loaded with crisp veggies, tender penne, and a delightful pesto that brings restaurant-style flavor to your own kitchen. It’s a healthy garden pasta that’s dairy free, vegan-friendly, and full of fresh vegetable goodness.

5 from 4 votes

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Total Time 25

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian, Mediterranean

Servings people

Calories 637 kcal

Ingredients

1 pound penne pasta or whatever shape pasta you prefer
3 tablespoons olive oil divided
2 medium zucchini sliced in half rounds
1 medium sweet onion chopped
1 pint snow peas ends trimmed and strings removed
2 cloves garlic or 1 bunch garlic scapes
4 green onions green and white parts, chopped
1 cup pesto or more, to taste
8 ounces Feta cheese or grated Parmesan, optional

Instructions

Prepare pasta according to package directions, but subtract 2 minutes from the cooking time.
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add in the peas and sweet onions (not the green onions) first and let them cook for a few minutes, until the onions are translucent. Add in the squash and garlic and cook until the veggies just begin to soften.
When draining the pasta, leave a couple of cups of cooking water in the pan. Dump the pasta back into the water and return it to the stove over medium heat. Add a tablespoon or two of olive oil and stir the pasta to distribute it throughout.
Transfer the cooked veggies to the pasta pot. Add the green onions and stir through.
Add the pesto to the pasta and vegetables, using more or less to your preference. Stir through and keep on the heat until it's evenly hot.
Just before serving, sprinkle with feta cheese, approximately 1 ounce per serving.

Notes

Garlic scapes are only available for a couple of weeks in the late spring to early summer, and typically only in the northern US and southern Canada. This is because they grow from hard-neck garlic which does not grow in warmer climates. (Not sure about other parts of the world.) Garlic scapes are typically available only in farmer's markets; I've never seen them in a grocery store. If you've never used garlic scapes before, head over to this page for some tips and more delicious recipes.

If you can't find garlic scapes, use 2 to 3 whole cloves of fresh garlic.

Nutrition

Keyword onions, pasta, pesto, vegan, vegetarian, zucchini

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