One Pot Pasta Primavera
A bright and creamy vegetarian pasta dish made entirely in one pan. Fresh broccoli, carrots, and peppers simmered with penne in a light parmesan cream sauce.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup diced onion
- 1 small broccoli head cut into florets
- 1 medium carrot peeled and cut into matchsticks
- 1 red bell pepper cut into strips
- 1 cup green beans cut into 1-inch pieces (the prepared vegetables should be around 16oz together; you could even use a 16-oz bag stir-fry vegetables if you’re in a hurry)
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- salt & black pepper to taste
- 3-½ cups chicken broth
- 4 cups uncooked penne pasta 12 ounces
- 1 cup frozen peas
- ⅔ cup heavy cream whisked together with ⅓ cup lukewarm water
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese plus extra for serving
- lemon juice & chopped parsley optional for serving
Instructions
- Start vegetables: Heat a large (~3.5 quart) skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the oil. Add the onion, vegetables and minced garlic and stir fry for 4-5 minutes, until starting to soften. Season lightly with salt and pepper.1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ cup diced onion, 1 small broccoli head, 1 medium carrot, 1 red bell pepper, 1 cup green beans, 2 teaspoons minced garlic, salt & black pepper
- Simmer: Pour the chicken broth into the skillet. Add the uncooked penne pasta and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover. Cook until the pasta is almost done, 12-18 minutes (adding peas halfway through), stirring every few minutes (Note 1).3-½ cups chicken broth, 4 cups uncooked penne pasta
- Add peas: Halfway through the pasta cooking time, uncover the pan and stir in the peas. Cover again and finish cooking until the pasta is almost done.1 cup frozen peas
- Add cream: Whisk the cornstarch into the heavy cream/water mixture. Uncover your skillet and reduce the heat to the lowest simmer. Pour the cream mixture into the skillet and quickly stir it in. Very gently simmer until the sauce has thickened and coats the pasta, 1-2 minutes.⅔ cup heavy cream, 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- Finish and serve: Take off the heat and stir in the parmesan cheese until melted. Add lemon juice, chopped parsley and black pepper to taste. Serve immediately.1 cup grated parmesan cheese, lemon juice & chopped parsley
Notes
- Note 1: Exact timing depends on the pasta brand you use - more expensive brands are often thicker and need more time; I prefer this recipe with “mid-range” pasta like Barilla, it doesn’t fall apart but it doesn’t take so long to cook that the vegetables end up as mush.