This veggie pasta (or pasta primavera) recipe is a savory dish that will make you feel cozy and comforted from the inside out and it is a simple recipe to make. This vegan pasta dish is packed with colorful vegetables, it’s the perfect easy dinner for summer or fall eve.
This recipe can be made any time of year since the vegetables can easily be switched out for other in-season vegetables, but with that in mind the broccoli, colorful bell peppers, and red onion oddly come together for a tasty mouthful.
This vegan recipe was made on a whim trying to come up with a "cheesy" pasta recipe that was also loaded with vegetables. It is dairy-free and can easily be made gluten-free by using your favorite gluten-free pasta, we used Banza's penne chickpea pasta.
Ingredients
Here is what you will need for this easy weeknight pasta recipe, grab your favorite pasta (we used gluten-free pasta), vegetables, and seasonings for one flavorful pasta dish.
- penne pasta, or your pasta of choice, we used Banza's gluten-free chickpea pasta
- opt for local and organic vegetables of choice, we suggest broccoli, bell pepper, and red onion for this dish
- nutritional yeast gives it that cheesy taste and keeps this dish vegan
- butter, we used non-dairy vegan butter
- extra virgin olive oil, opt for a good quality oil
- dried seasonings, Italian seasoning, garlic granules, oregano, crushed red pepper, salt, and black pepper
See the recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions + Additions
This veggie pasta recipe is made vegan and gluten-free by default, but can easily be changed up depending on dietary needs or what produce is available and in season.
- substitute for vegetables that are in season or available locally, substitute zucchini, yellow squash, cauliflower, asparagus, peas, mushrooms, basil, spinach
- substitute penne pasta and use your favorite bite-size pasta of choice, like rotini, macaroni, or rigatoni
- substitute garlic granules for fresh minced or chopped garlic or roasted garlic
- add some more spice - increase the crushed red pepper for a spicier veggie pasta dish
- reduce the butter/oil, and substitute 2 tbsps of cooking liquid (from pasta)
Instructions
Cook the pasta of your choice by following the instructions given. If you opt for gluten-free pasta, see our tip below.
While the water for your pasta is heating up, prepare the vegetables. Cut the broccoli florets into small bite-size pieces and dice cut the bell pepper and red onion.
In a saute pan over medium-high heat add the butter and olive oil and let it melt.
Once the butter is melted add in the dry seasonings, italian seasoning, garlic granules, oregano, crushed red pepper, salt, and black pepper. Mix until the melted butter and seasonings are well incorporated and then add in the broccoli.
Let the broccoli cook for about 3-5 minutes and then add in the bell pepper and red onion. If you are substituting vegetables for what is local and in season, give vegetables that are firmer and take longer to cook a head start and add in softer, watery vegetables towards the end of the cooking time so they have some crunch and bite.
Once your pasta is drained and rinsed (if instructed to) add the pasta to the vegetables.
Gentle mix until the vegetables and pasta are well incorporated. Be gentle to avoid breaking apart your pasta - especially if using gluten-free pasta.
Add any additional seasonings to taste and add more butter or olive oil to make it saucier.
Plate the zesty pasta primavera and top with a sprinkle of nutritional yeast or fresh herbs and serve.
Tips
Cooking Gluten-Free Pasta
Each pasta is going to have different cook times. If you are using gluten-free pasta and it instructs rinsing the pasta with cold water, do not skip this step. Rinsing the gluten-free pasta after straining stops the pasta from continuing to cook, which is why gluten-free pasta can turn out mushy or easily break apart.
FAQ
Nutritional yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) is a cousin to brewer's and baker's yeast and is made with the same type of yeast but nutritional yeast is an inactive yeast.
Nutritional yeast has a cheesy-tasting and savory flavor and is often used in vegan recipes to mock the flavor of cheese.
Recipe
Zesty Pasta Primavera Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 oz gluten-free penne pasta dry
- 3 cups broccoli florets about 2 small heads
- 1 cup diced bell pepper about 1 pepper
- 1 cup diced red onion about 1/2 onion
- 6 tbsp butter vegan
- 4 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp italian seasoning
- 2 tsp garlic granules
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper
Instructions
- Cook the pasta of your choice by following the instructions given. If you opting for gluten-free pasta, see our tip above.
- While the water for your pasta is heating up, prepare the vegetables. Cut the broccoli florets into small bite-size pieces and dice cut the bell pepper and red onion.
- In a saute pan over medium-high heat add the butter and olive oil and let it melt.
- Once the butter is melted, add in the dry seasonings, italian seasoning, garlic granules, oregano, crushed red pepper, salt, and black pepper. Mix until the melted butter and seasonings are well incorporated and then add in the broccoli.
- Let the broccoli cook for about 3-5 minutes and then add in the bell pepper and red onion. If you are substituting vegetables for what is local and in season, give vegetables that are firmer and take longer to cook a head start and add in softer, watery vegetables towards the end of the cooking time so that they still have some crunch and bite.
- Once your pasta is drained and rinsed (if instructed to) add the pasta to the veggies.
- Gently mix until the veggies are well incorporated, be gentle to avoid damaging the pasta - especially if using gluten-free pasta.
- Add any additional seasoning to taste and if needed add extra olive oil or butter.
- Plate the zesty pasta primavera and top with a sprinkle of nutritional yeast or fresh herbs and serve.
Notes
- To reduce the butter/oil, substitute 2 tbsps of cooking liquid (from pasta).
More Recipes To Try
- For a more traditional paste try spaghetti and meatballs.
- For a cozy creamy potato and kale soup try vegan Zuppa Toscana.
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