Pasta Primavera with Roasted Vegetables (Print version)

Italian-inspired pasta with roasted seasonal vegetables, garlic, and Parmesan. Vibrant, satisfying, and vegetarian-friendly.

# What you’ll need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz penne or fusilli pasta

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium zucchini, sliced
03 - 1 medium yellow squash, sliced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
05 - 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into strips
06 - 1 small red onion, sliced
07 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
08 - 1 cup broccoli florets

→ Seasonings and Aromatics

09 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
10 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
11 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs or mixed oregano, basil, and thyme
12 - ½ teaspoon salt
13 - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
14 - Pinch of red pepper flakes, optional

→ Garnish

15 - ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
16 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or parsley
17 - Lemon wedges, optional

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Arrange zucchini, yellow squash, bell peppers, red onion, cherry tomatoes, and broccoli on the prepared sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, sprinkle with Italian herbs, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat evenly and spread in a single layer.
03 - Roast for 18 to 20 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until lightly browned and tender.
04 - Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta cooking water, then drain pasta.
05 - In a large skillet over medium heat, add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sauté minced garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant.
06 - Add roasted vegetables and cooked pasta to the skillet. Toss gently, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time to loosen if needed.
07 - Remove from heat. Stir in half the Parmesan and fresh basil or parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
08 - Serve immediately, topped with remaining Parmesan and extra herbs. Add a squeeze of lemon juice if desired.

# Cooking tips:

01 -
  • It turns a pile of ordinary vegetables into something golden and sweet without any fancy technique.
  • You can toss in whatever is wilting in your crisper drawer and it still tastes intentional.
  • The whole thing comes together in about 40 minutes, which feels like a miracle on a weeknight.
  • It tastes bright and fresh but still filling enough that no one asks where the meat is.
02 -
  • Do not skip reserving the pasta water, it is the secret to making everything silky instead of dry and clumpy.
  • Spread the vegetables in one layer or they will steam and turn soggy instead of getting those sweet caramelized edges.
  • Taste the dish before serving because oven-roasted vegetables sometimes need an extra pinch of salt to bring out their flavor.
03 -
  • Toss the hot pasta with the vegetables off the heat so the Parmesan melts into creamy little pockets instead of clumping.
  • Use a mix of colorful vegetables because the dish tastes better when it looks like something you actually want to eat.
  • If you are serving this to guests, keep a small bowl of red pepper flakes and extra Parmesan on the table so everyone can adjust it to their taste.
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