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Home » Pasta Recipes » Pasta Primavera with Peas and Asparagus

Pasta Primavera with Peas and Asparagus

Easy Dinners, Pasta Recipes First Published: June 3, 2021 | Last Updated: April 26, 2022

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Pasta Primavera with Peas and Asparagus is a veggie packed dish tossed with a zingy lemon and garlic sauce. Ready in 15 minutes, it’s easy and so versatile with all the flavours of Spring.

Spring Vegetable Pasta

Primavera means Spring in Italian, and there are not many dishes more Spring appropriate than this Pasta Primavera!

Pasta Primavera is actually an American dish, not Italian. I believe it was first served in New York in the 1970s. There are many different variations going around but I love this all green version best.

Close up of Pasta Primavera - fusilli pasta tossed with peas, sliced asparagus and snap peas. Garnished with lemon slices, chopped parsley and grated parmesan cheese.

Asparagus and Pea Pasta

I love asparagus season! Here in the UK it is very brief, running from May to the end of June. Fresh British asparagus is pretty much the quintessential taste of spring for me. The season is short, so take advantage.

If you’re making this Pasta Primavera any other time of year, you can substitute frozen asparagus, though it is not quite the same and can be soft and mushy. I would recommend substituting the asparagus for different seasonal greens – broccoli or any type of green beans are the best choice depending on the season.

I use frozen peas which are an excellent freezer staple any time of the year and sugar snap or snow peas. When they are in season broad beans (fava beans) are an excellent extra addition or substitute for the regular peas.

Close up of Pasta Primavera - fusilli pasta tossed with peas, sliced asparagus and snap peas. Garnished with lemon slices, chopped parsley and grated parmesan cheese.

Lemon Butter Sauce

The lemon butter sauce for this Pasta Primavera with Peas and Asparagus is so easy and simple, it can hardly be called a recipe. It is absolutely delicious though – the lemon and garlic pair perfectly with the asparagus and peas and really bring out the flavour. The whole dish is so light and fresh – the perfect spring pasta.

Best Pasta to Use for Primavera

Almost any pasta shape will do well for this Pasta Primavera. My personal favourite shape for this recipe is Fusilli Corti Col Buco* but penne, rigatoni and even spaghetti or linguine are all great choices.

Pasta Primavera with Peas and Asparagus in a white pasta bowl sitting on a blue cloth with a wedge or parmesan next to it.

I hope you like this recipe as much as I do! Please leave a comment or tag me on Instagram @carrieskitchen_ if you make it!

More quick & easy pasta recipes:
  • Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta
  • Cherry Tomato Pasta
  • Garlic Mushroom Pasta with Herby Breadcrumbs
  • Bacon Brussels Sprouts Pasta
  • Bacon and Pea Pasta

Pasta Primavera with Peas and Asparagus

Carrie Carvalho
Pasta Primavera with Peas and Asparagus is a veggie packed dish tossed with a zingy lemon and garlic sauce. Ready in 15 minutes, it's easy and so versatile with all the flavours of Spring.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 10 mins
Total Time 15 mins
Course Main Course, Pasta
Cuisine American
Servings 2 servings
Calories 645 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 200 grams pasta
  • 100 grams asparagus tips
  • 100 grams frozen peas
  • 100 grams sugar snap peas
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 50 grams parmesan cheese grated
  • 2 tbsp butter or olive oil
  • small bunch chopped fresh parsley

Instructions
 

  • Remove the tough woody base of the asparagus stems – they should snap off easily. Cut the remaining parts into 3 pieces.
  • Slice the sugar snap peas into thirds.
  • Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook the pasta following packet instructions until 'al dente'. Add the peas, asparagus and sugar snaps in with the pasta for the final 2 minutes of cooking.
  • Meanwhile, melt the butter (or oil) over a medium-low heat in a large saucepan. Add the garlic and cook for 3-4 minutes until fragrant – be careful not to let it burn. Stir in the lemon juice.
  • Reserve a cup of starchy pasta water then drain the pasta, peas and asparagus.
  • Add about ¼ cup or 60ml of pasta water to the pan with the lemon juice, butter and garlic, then stir in the drained pasta and vegetables.
  • Stir in the grated parmesan and parsley plus a generous pinch of black pepper (and a pinch of salt if desired). Stir in more pasta water bit by bit until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
  • Season to taste with more salt, pepper and lemon juice.
  • Serve garnished with extra parsley, parmesan and optional lemon wedges.

Notes

Make this dish Vegan / Dairy Free by swapping the butter for olive oil or a plant based butter and omitting the cheese. 

Nutrition

Calories: 645kcalCarbohydrates: 89gProtein: 27gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 47mgSodium: 512mgPotassium: 584mgFiber: 8gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 1849IUVitamin C: 54mgCalcium: 372mgIron: 4mg
Keyword asparagus, pasta primavera, peas
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    9 Comments

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    Comments

    1. Adriene says

      July 20, 2021 at 7:34 pm

      5 stars
      This is the perfect summer pasta dish! Nice and easy to make, healthy and delish!

      Reply
      • Carrie Carvalho says

        July 20, 2021 at 10:50 pm

        So glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    2. Lesley says

      August 18, 2021 at 3:36 pm

      5 stars
      This is such a simple recipe and so easy to make, exactly the kind of pasta dish that I love to eat. That’s dinner sorted tonight.

      Reply
      • Carrie Carvalho says

        August 20, 2021 at 4:34 pm

        Thank you! It’s such a quick and easy dinner.

        Reply
    3. Chloe says

      August 22, 2021 at 5:13 pm

      5 stars
      I am seriously guilty of over complicating pasta dishes – I need to try this fresh and simple recipe because It looks delcious and much better than what I usually come up with!

      Reply
    4. Cat | Curly's Cooking says

      August 22, 2021 at 9:46 pm

      5 stars
      So fresh and delicious. The perfect flavours of spring.

      Reply
    5. Choclette says

      August 24, 2021 at 11:59 am

      5 stars
      Love asparagus season too and your pasta sounds absolutely delicious. Full of fresh spring zippy flavours.

      Reply
    6. Amy says

      September 13, 2021 at 11:02 pm

      5 stars
      This looks so fresh and lovely!

      Reply
    7. Freya says

      April 18, 2022 at 2:09 pm

      5 stars
      One of our go tos on busy nights its so fresh and tasty, quick and easy too. I use frozen veggies if I don’t have fresh and it’s always yummy. Tenderstem broccoli is great too.

      Reply

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