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Pasta Primavera

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.

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

Ingredients

  • 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)

Instructions

Cut vegetables:
    Cup of Yum
  1. Broccolini - Cut off florets then cut in half lengthwise. Then slice the stems diagonally into 2.5 cm / 1" lengths.
  2. 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.
  3. 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:
  1. 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:
  1. 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.
  2. Reserve pasta water: Just before draining the pasta, scoop out a mug of pasta cooking water and set aside. Drain the pasta.
Cook:
  1. Mushrooms: Heat half the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Cook mushrooms for 4 minutes until golden, remove to a plate.
  2. 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.
  3. 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).
  4. 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

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

% 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%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.