Vegan Pasta Primavera

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Tender pasta and veggies are drenched in garlicky white wine sauce to make this incredibly flavor-packed vegan pasta Primavera. The best part: it all comes together in about 30 minutes.

It’s officially March, which means it’s unofficially spring. We’ve got a few weeks to go before the actual equinox, but it’s starting to warm up and there’s actually a little purple flower blooming in my front yard.

As you may know if you’re a regular reader around these parts, I’m not one for getting psyched up about the warmer days to come. Give me sweaters and cozy fires.

But…you can also give me veggies. And I have to admit that I do get a twinge of excitement when the produce aisle starts getting a little greener this time of year. And hey, it’s still cool enough for sweaters. Sweater weather + spring veggies is the perfect excuse to cook up cozy veggie-packed pasta dishes.

Enter this vegan pasta Primavera.

I’ll be frank: pasta Primavera was never a favorite of mine. It can be kind of boring. You know? I can’t be the only one that’s gotten stuck with a bland plate of noodles and mushy veggies as the vegan entrée at just about every wedding I’ve ever attended. This pasta Primavera is different.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Dried pasta. I’m using dried penne pasta, but the recipe will work just fine with other pasta shapes.
• Fresh asparagus. Pro tip: Make sure to trim the woody ends from your asparagus. To do this, grab the base in one hand, and grab the stalk in the middle with your other hand. Bend until the end snaps off. It will always break in just the right place.
• Fresh broccoli.
• Olive oil. Other high-heat oils will work just fine, but you’ll get the best flavor with olive.
• Onion.
• Carrots.
• Garlic.
• White wine. Not all white wine is vegan. Check with Barnivore to ensure that the brand you buy is.
• Light coconut milk. Full-fat coconut milk works too! You can substitute another non-dairy milk if you absolutely can’t stand the taste of coconut (even though it will be subtle in this dish).
• Lemon juice. Use freshly squeezed lemon juice to give your sauce the best flavor.
• Zucchini.
• Sun-dried tomatoes. I used dry (bagged) sun-dried tomatoes, but you can use marinated ones if you prefer.
• Frozen peas.
• Fresh basil.
• Fresh parsley.
• Lemon zest.
• Red pepper flakes. These are optional, but great for adding a little kick to your pasta.
• Salt & pepper.
• Vegan Parmesan cheese. I like to use my homemade vegan Parmesan cheese, but store-bought also works.

Tip: Feel free to switch things up and use your favorite veggies. Broccoli or cauliflower would be great in place of the asparagus. Summer squash could easily replace the zucchini. And parsnips could stand in for carrots.

How It’s Made

The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you’d like to skip right to the recipe!

Boil your pasta according to the package directions, but set the timer for two minutes less than the time specified for al dente pasta. Add fresh broccoli florets and chopped asparagus to the water and boil it with your pasta for the last two minutes.

Drain everything together. I like to try and time it so that my pasta is done around the same time as the sauce and the rest of the veggies, but don’t sweat it!

Tip: Two minutes of boiling will give you tender-crisp broccoli and asparagus. If you like your veggies softer, boil them a bit longer.

While the pasta cooks, heat some oil in a large skillet or pot and add diced onion and carrot. Sweat the veggies until they soften, then add minced garlic and cook it with the veggies briefly.

Add wine to the skillet and let it simmer for a few minutes — just long enough for the alcohol to cook off. You can skip right past this step if you prefer to cook without alcohol.

Tip: Make sure you’re using a big cooking vessel! I’m working with a 12-inch skillet and it was a tight squeeze by the time I added everything! If in doubt, use a pot.

Stir in the coconut milk, lemon juice, some salt, zucchini, and sun-dried tomatoes. Simmer the mixture for a few minutes, until the zucchini is tender but not mushy.

Add your cooked pasta to the skillet, along with the broccoli, asparagus, and peas. Stir everything up to coat the pasta and vegetables with sauce and cook everything briefly to reheat the pasta.

Take the skillet off of heat and stir in chopped basil, parsley, lemon zest, and red pepper flakes if you’re using them. Also season your pasta with additional salt and black pepper to taste.

Serve your vegan pasta primavera with a sprinkling of vegan Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

Leftovers & Storage

Leftover vegan pasta Primavera will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Add a splash of water when reheating if the pasta has dried out.