One-Pot Pasta Primavera

I’m totally a sucker for one-pot meals. I mean, fewer dishes? Less fuss and muss (whatever “muss” is)? I’m in. So when I saw one-pot pasta floating around Pinterest awhile back, I was intrigued. I made Martha Stewart’s version pretty much immediately, and I loved it. And, because I’m a food blogger and this is what I do, I tweaked and fiddled. This One-Pot Pasta Primavera is one of my favorite outcomes so far.

I love the concept of one-pot pasta. Essentially, you put all the ingredients into the pot, including the uncooked pasta and water (or broth). And then you cook, tossing constantly, for several minutes, until most of the liquid has cooked off and the pasta and accompanying veggies are tender, perfect, and saucy.

This One-Pot Pasta Primavera is perfect for spring. With tender asparagus tips, broccoli florets, and a smattering of peas, it’s got lots of green to go around. Onions, mushrooms, garlic, and parsley add a little more oomph and flavor. True to classic Pasta Primavera form, we make it a tad creamy by ending with a bit of cream (just a splash!) and a sprinkle of grated Parmesan.

A few tips for one-pot pasta success:

• Use a heavy, roomy pot. There will be lots of stirring and tossing.
• If you have them, use long-handled tongs. Short handles keep you a little too close to the heat. Ouch!
• Select a dried pasta that has a cooking time of between 9-11 minutes. Otherwise, you may end up with under-cooked pasta, or worse, mushy mush.
• Once it starts boiling, be sure to toss and stir constantly! Otherwise the pasta will start sticking, and clean-up might make you sad.

This post was originally published on March 17, 2014.

One-Pot Pasta Primavera

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

This creamy, saucy pasta overflows with spring green veggies. But the best part is that it cooks up in a single pot–in just under 10 minutes!

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

• 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 8 ounces linguine, uncooked
• 1 small onion, halved and sliced thin
• 1 pound broccoli crowns, cut into large florets (about 2 cups)
• 1 1/2 pounds asparagus, ends snapped off and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 4 ounces sliced white button mushrooms (about 1 cup)
• 4 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (less for milder heat; more to increase heat)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3/4 cup frozen peas
• 1 small handful fresh parsley, chopped (about 1/2 cup chopped)
• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
• Additional salt and pepper to taste
• Additional Parmesan cheese for serving, if desired

Instructions

1. Add the broth, linguine, onion, broccoli, asparagus, mushrooms, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper to a large pot set over high heat. Drizzle the olive oil over the top.
2. As soon as it comes to a boil, set the timer for 7 minutes and start tossing constantly with long-handled tongs.
3. Continue boiling and tossing. As soon as the 7 minutes is up, add the peas, parsley, heavy whipping cream, Parmesan, and lemon zest and continue cooking, tossing constantly, for 1-2 more minutes, until the pasta and veggies appear tender. Remove from heat.
4. Note that much of the liquid will have evaporated, but not all. And that’s okay! Let the pasta sit for a couple of minutes to cool; the sauce will continue to thicken during that time. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if desired. Garnish with additional Parmesan cheese.