One Pot Spring Vegetable Pasta (Print Version)

A vibrant pasta dish featuring tender spring vegetables, cooked together in one pot for easy preparation.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta & Broth

01 - 12 oz penne or fusilli pasta
02 - 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
03 - 1 cup water

→ Spring Vegetables

04 - 1 cup asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
05 - 1 cup sugar snap peas, trimmed
06 - 1 cup zucchini, halved and sliced
07 - 1 cup baby spinach
08 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
09 - 1 small leek, white and light green part, sliced
10 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Flavorings

11 - 2 tbsp olive oil
12 - 1 tsp lemon zest
13 - 2 tbsp lemon juice
14 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
15 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
16 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil or parsley

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add sliced leek and minced garlic; sauté until softened and fragrant, approximately 2 minutes.
02 - Add pasta, vegetable broth, and water to the skillet. Bring to a boil while stirring, then reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
03 - Stir in asparagus pieces, sugar snap peas, and zucchini slices. Continue cooking for 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until pasta is al dente and vegetables are tender-crisp. Most liquid should be absorbed.
04 - Add spinach, cherry tomatoes, lemon zest, lemon juice, and Parmesan cheese. Cook for 2 minutes until spinach wilts and tomatoes are heated through. Season generously with salt and black pepper.
05 - Remove from heat immediately. Garnish with fresh chopped herbs and additional Parmesan if desired. Serve hot while vegetables retain their bright color and texture.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce creates itself while the pasta cooks, thickening naturally without any extra effort
  • Cleanup takes literally minutes since everything happens in one vessel
  • The vegetables stay bright and tender because they cook just long enough, never longer
02 -
  • Don't be alarmed if it looks like too much liquid at first, the pasta will absorb most of it as it cooks and the starch will thicken the remaining liquid into a sauce
  • If the pasta is tender but there's still too much liquid, just cook it for another minute or two, the sauce will thicken quickly once the pasta is done
  • Keep stirring during the last few minutes of cooking, that's when the starch is most active and the sauce is forming
03 -
  • Use a pot that's wider than it is deep, this helps the liquid evaporate evenly and the pasta cook more uniformly
  • Reserve a splash of pasta water before you finish, just in case you need to loosen the sauce at the end
  • Grate your Parmesan fresh from a block, pre-grated cheese has anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting smoothly

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