Garlic Parmesan Spring Vegetable Pasta (Printable)

Penne tossed with fresh spring vegetables in a light, creamy garlic-Parmesan sauce. Ready in 35 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz penne pasta

→ Vegetables

02 - 7 oz asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
03 - 1 cup fresh or frozen peas
04 - 1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

→ Sauce

05 - 2 tbsp olive oil
06 - 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
07 - 1/4 cup vegetable broth
08 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
09 - 2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
10 - 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
11 - 1/4 tsp salt (or to taste)
12 - Zest of 1 lemon
13 - 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

→ Garnish

14 - Extra grated Parmesan
15 - Fresh basil or parsley, chopped

# Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the penne and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add asparagus, green beans, and peas. Sauté for 3–4 minutes until vegetables are just tender but still bright green.
04 - Pour in vegetable broth and cook for 2 minutes.
05 - Reduce heat to low, add heavy cream and 2/3 cup Parmesan. Stir until cheese melts and sauce is smooth.
06 - Add cooked penne and toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water as needed for a silky sauce.
07 - Season with black pepper, salt, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Mix well.
08 - Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan and chopped fresh herbs.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sauce hits that perfect balance between light and luxuriously creamy
  • You can use whatever fresh vegetables look best at the market
  • It comes together in under 40 minutes but tastes like something from a nice restaurant
  • The lemon zest brightens everything up so it never feels heavy
02 -
  • The vegetables keep cooking after you take them off the heat, so err on the side of slightly underdone
  • Grating your own Parmesan makes a shocking difference in how the sauce coats the pasta
  • That reserved pasta water is essential, don't skip it or your sauce might separate
03 -
  • Cut your vegetables into uniform pieces so everything cooks at the same rate
  • Room temperature cream incorporates more smoothly into the sauce
  • The lemon juice can make the sauce look slightly curdled, but the taste is worth it
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