Pasta Primavera

Name: Pasta Primavera
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Yield: 4 serving
Ingredients: 300g / 10 oz linguine; 150g / 5oz white mushrooms; 1/2 large zucchini; 1 bunch broccolini; 1 1/2 cup Snow peas; 1 bunch green asparagus; 1 cup green peas; 10 cherry tomatoes; 2 garlic cloves; 5 tbsp / 75 g unsalted butter; 1 cup thickened / heavy cream; 1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano; 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 1/3 cup pasta cooking water; 1 tsp cooking/kosher salt; 1/4 tsp black pepper; 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves; 2 tbsp pinenuts

User Reviews

4.9

81 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Servings
4
Calories
874 kcal
Course
Main Course
Cuisine
Italian-American Fussion

Pasta Primavera

Kai Walton

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Recipe video above. This is the Pasta Primavera recipe made famous by Le Cirque restaurant in NYC. It was first published in a magazine in the 1970's! This is an excellent big creamy pasta fix with less guilt thanks to a ton of vegetables. The trick here is timing so that all the vegetables finish cooking to tender-crisp perfection at the same time. Don't skip the pine nuts. It's the signature finishing touch.Counting calories? See note 1 on how to lighten the dish.

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Ingredients

Servings

300g / 10 oz linguine (fettucine, or other long and flat pasta, Note 1)

Vegetables (Note 2):

150g / 5oz white mushrooms , sliced 0.4cm / 1/6" thick (~8 pieces)
1/2 large zucchini , cut into 0.5cm / 0.2" rounds (100g/4 oz piece)
1 bunch broccolini
1 1/2 cup Snow peas (~10 pieces, 75g/2.5oz)
1 bunch green asparagus (~8 to 10)
1 cup green peas , defrosted
10 cherry tomatoes , cut in half
2 garlic cloves , finely minced

Cream sauce:

5 tbsp / 75 g unsalted butter
1 cup thickened / heavy cream (Note 3)
1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano , finely grated (sub regular parmesan, Note 4)

Cooking:

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup pasta cooking water , scoop out just before draining (Note 6)
1 tsp cooking/kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves , finely sliced (Note 5)
2 tbsp pinenuts , toasted (Note 7)

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Instructions

Cut vegetables:

Broccolini - Cut off florets then cut in half lengthwise. Then slice the stems diagonally into 2.5 cm / 1" lengths.
Snow peas - Remove the tough string running down the "seam" of the pea. Stack several peas and slice on the diagonal about 1cm / 0.4" wide.
Asparagus - Snap the base off the asparagus, it will naturally break where the woody stem stars. Cut tips off, leave whole and set aside. Slice the stems diagonally into 2.5 cm / 1" lengths.

Cream Sauce:

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add cream and Parmigiano reggiano. Stir, and once the cream starts simmering gently, stir until the cheese melts then take it off the stove and set aside.

Pasta:

Bring a large pot of water to the boil over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of salt and add the pasta. Cook for the time per the packet minus 1 minute. Meanwhile, cook vegetables.
Reserve pasta water: Just before draining the pasta, scoop out a mug of pasta cooking water and set aside. Drain the pasta.

Cook:

Mushrooms: Heat half the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Cook mushrooms for 4 minutes until golden, remove to a plate.
Veg: Heat remaining oil in the same skillet. Cook broccolini, snow peas and asparagus for 2 minutes. Add zucchini, tomato, green peas, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook for a further 3 minutes. Add mushroom back in, toss, then remove from heat.
Toss! Return pasta into the now-empty pot. Add vegetables, cream sauce and 1/3 cup pasta water. Toss over medium heat using 2 wooden spoons until the sauce thickens and clings to the pasta strands rather than pooling in the base of the pot, about 1 to 2 minutes. (If at any stage the pasta gets too thick, add a splash more pasta water and toss on stove).
Basil & pine nuts - Quickly toss through basil. Divide between 4 bowls. Sprinkle with pine nuts. Devour immediately!

Notes

"Can I make a lighter version?" This is the original restaurant recipe from Le Cirque so it's unapologetically indulgent and delivers restaurant-style richness and flavour. To reduce calories, adjust as follows:
Still very, very tasty but not quite as luscious – of course!
Pasta - Use any long strand pasta you want. Short pasta (like penne) also works.
Vegetables - Feel free to substitute as you wish, make this your own! Either use other spring vegetables, or if you're in a different season use whatever is seasonal. See in post for substitutions.
Cream - Any full fat cream will work just fine here. Low fat will work but the end result won't be as luscious and the sauce will be thinner.
Parmigiano reggiano - Finely grate using microplane so it melts smoothly! Substitute with regular grade parmesan. Do not use store bought pre-grated parmesan as it won't melt in the sauce.
No fresh basil? It's still worth making! I like to add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice instead, to compensate with a different type of freshness.
Starchy pasta cooking water - The secret to thickening the cream sauce so it clings to every pasta strand and ends up in your mouth rather than a watery pool in the bottom of your bowl.
Toasted pine nuts - Toss raw pine nuts in a small skillet (no oil) over medium heat until it has light golden spots and smells nutty, about 2 minutes.
Nutrition per serving and worth every calorie, and remember there is lots of veg in this! But see top of Notes for how to lighten it up.
Skip butter in Cream Sauce
Skip all the oil
Use 3 tbsp / 50g butter instead of oil for sautéing the vegetables
Per serve nutrition: 145 calorie reduction, 17g less fat.

Nutrition Information

Show Details

Calories 874cal (44%) Carbohydrates 74g (25%) Protein 23g (46%) Fat 56g (86%) Saturated Fat 27g (135%) Polyunsaturated Fat 5g Monounsaturated Fat 19g Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 116mg (39%) Sodium 825mg (34%) Potassium 776mg (22%) Fiber 7g (28%) Sugar 11g (22%) Vitamin A 3166IU (63%) Vitamin C 77mg (86%) Calcium 276mg (28%) Iron 4mg (22%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 874 kcal

% Daily Value*

Calories	874cal	44%
Carbohydrates	74g	25%
Protein	23g	46%
Fat	56g	86%
Saturated Fat	27g	135%
Polyunsaturated Fat	5g	29%
Monounsaturated Fat	19g	95%
Trans Fat	1g	50%
Cholesterol	116mg	39%
Sodium	825mg	34%
Potassium	776mg	17%
Fiber	7g	28%
Sugar	11g	22%
Vitamin A	3166IU	63%
Vitamin C	77mg	86%
Calcium	276mg	28%
Iron	4mg	22%