One-Pot Creamy Pasta Primavera (Print version)

Vibrant one-pot pasta with fresh vegetables in a creamy sauce. Easy, quick, and perfect for weeknight dinners.

# What you'll need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz penne or fusilli pasta

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium zucchini, sliced
03 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
04 - 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
05 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
06 - 1 cup snap peas, trimmed and halved
07 - 1 medium carrot, sliced thin
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Sauce

09 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
10 - 3 cups vegetable broth
11 - 1 cup heavy cream
12 - 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
13 - 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
14 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

15 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
16 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

# Directions:

01 - In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic, zucchini, bell peppers, carrot, and snap peas. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until slightly softened.
02 - Add pasta, cherry tomatoes, and vegetable broth. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente and most of the liquid is absorbed.
03 - Stir in heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, and Italian herbs. Simmer uncovered for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens and coats the pasta and vegetables.
04 - Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Remove from heat and stir in fresh basil.
05 - Serve hot, garnished with extra Parmesan and basil if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one pot, which means less cleanup and more time to actually enjoy dinner.
  • The vegetables stay crisp-tender and colorful instead of turning mushy or drab.
  • It tastes like you spent an hour on it, but you're eating in well under 40 minutes.
  • You can clean out your fridge by swapping in whatever vegetables need rescuing.
02 -
  • Stir the pasta every few minutes while it simmers or the bottom layer will stick and scorch, leaving a burnt taste in the sauce.
  • Don't add the cream until the pasta is fully cooked, or it can separate and turn grainy instead of silky.
  • If the sauce looks too thick, splash in a little extra broth or pasta water to loosen it up before serving.
03 -
  • Use a wide, shallow pot instead of a tall one so the pasta cooks more evenly and you can stir without splashing.
  • Grate the Parmesan yourself from a wedge, it melts into the sauce without clumping and tastes infinitely better.
  • Taste the broth before you add it, if it's too salty, the finished dish will be too, so dilute it with water if needed.
Go back