One-Pot Creamy Pasta Primavera (Printable Version)

A creamy pasta with fresh zucchini, bell peppers, tomatoes, and snap peas cooked in one pot.

# The Ingredients You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 ounces 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, thinly sliced
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Sauce

09 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
10 - 3 cups vegetable broth
11 - 1 cup heavy cream
12 - ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
13 - ½ teaspoon dried Italian herbs
14 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

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

# Step-by-Step Instructions:

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

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • One pot means one pot to wash, and that alone is reason enough to make this on a weeknight.
  • The vegetables actually taste like themselves instead of turning into soft mush because they cook alongside the pasta, not before.
  • It comes together in under forty minutes, which is perfect for those moments when you're hungry now, not in an hour.
02 -
  • Don't skip the Italian herbs even though they seem optional, because they're what prevents this from tasting like plain buttered noodles.
  • The basil must go in at the end or it'll turn dark and bitter from the heat, and that's the difference between good and transcendent.
  • If your sauce seems too thin when you add the cream, give it another minute or two of simmering uncovered to let it reduce, because thin sauce is the one thing that makes people feel like something went wrong.
03 -
  • If you're cooking for someone who loves more vegetables, add a full extra cup because they'll absorb the liquid without making the dish watery.
  • Taste the pasta a minute or two before you think it's done because carryover cooking continues when you add the cream, and overcooked pasta is the quickest way to disappoint.
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