Pasta Primavera
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
With roasted tomatoes, zucchini, and corn, this pasta primavera is a true ode to summer.
Photo by Johnny Miller (Clarkson Potter, 2021)
The word “primavera” means springtime in Italian. But, generally, when we think of pasta primavera, we think of pasta with a chorus of vegetables from any season. With roasted tomatoes, corn, and zucchini, this pasta primavera is a true ode to summer. It’s a fresh spin on the classic dish that Le Cirque restaurant made famous in the 1970s, once described by a New York Times food columnist as “by far, the most talked-about dish in Manhattan.” The dish is rich in flavor so I love serving it as a main course, but it also makes a fantastic side to grilled chicken or Italian sausage.
“This was a wonderful dish! So flavorful and satisfying but not heavy. Perfect pasta dish for summer!”
What You’ll Need To Make Pasta Primavera
- Cherry tomatoes, zucchini, and fresh corn kernels: These summer veggies add sweetness, flavor, and texture to the dish.
- Shallots and garlic: Provide a savory, aromatic base for the pasta.
- Extra-virgin olive oil: Used for sautéing the vegetables and also drizzling over the finished pasta; adds richness and enhances the flavors.
- Fusilli (or similar shape) pasta: The twisted shape holds onto the sauce and vegetables well. Penne, farfalle, gemelli, or campanelle would also work well.
- Butter: Adds richness and a silky texture to the sauce.
- Herbes de Provence: A blend of dried herbs that adds a fragrant, earthy flavor.
- Crushed red pepper flakes: Adds a touch of heat and enhances the overall flavor.
- Pecorino Romano cheese: Adds a sharp, salty flavor that complements the vegetables. Parmigiano-Reggiano may be substituted.
- Basil: Adds a fresh, aromatic element and brightens the dish.
- Pine nuts: Add a nutty flavor and crunchy texture.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
To begin, combine the tomatoes, shallots, garlic, olive oil, salt, and sugar on the prepared baking sheet. Toss with your hands or a rubber spatula until the vegetables are evenly coated.
Arrange the vegetables in a single layer and roast at 450°F for about 20 minutes, or until the tomatoes are starting to brown.
Remove the pan from the oven and add the zucchini and corn. Toss with a rubber spatula (the tomatoes will collapse; that’s okay) and spread into an even layer.
Roast for 5 minutes more, until the zucchini and corn are tender-crisp.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in salted water until al dente and drain.
Add the pasta back to the pan, along with the roasted vegetables and all their juices. Add the butter, herbes de Provence, red pepper flakes, pecorino Romano, basil, and pine nuts.
Toss well, then taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
Spoon into pasta bowls and drizzle with olive oil, if desired. Serve with more grated cheese. Enjoy!
Video Tutorial
You May Also Like
Pasta Primavera
With roasted tomatoes, zucchini, and corn, this pasta primavera is a true ode to summer.
Ingredients
- 1¼ lbs (2 pints) cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- 4 shallots, thinly sliced
- 5 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1½ teaspoons sugar
- 1 medium zucchini, cut into ¼-inch chunks
- 1½ cups fresh corn kernels, from 2 ears corn
- 12 oz fusilli (or similar shape) pasta
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon herbes de Provence (see note)
- ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ cup grated pecorino romano cheese, plus more for serving
- ½ cup tightly packed basil leaves, roughly chopped
- ⅓ cup pine nuts, toasted (see note)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with heavy duty aluminum foil.
- Combine the tomatoes, shallots, garlic, olive oil, salt, and sugar on the prepared baking sheet. Toss with your hands or a rubber spatula until the vegetables are evenly coated. Arrange the vegetables in a single layer and roast for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the tomatoes are just starting to brown. Remove the pan from the oven and add the zucchini and corn. Toss with a rubber spatula (the tomatoes will collapse; that's okay) and spread into an even layer. Roast for 5 minutes more, until the zucchini and corn are tender-crisp.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain, then add the pasta back to the pan. Add the roasted vegetables and all their juices to the pasta, along with the butter, herbes de Provence, red pepper flakes, pecorino Romano, basil, and pine nuts. Toss well, then taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Spoon into pasta bowls and drizzle with olive oil, if desired. Serve with more grated cheese.
- Note: Herbes de Provence can be found in the spice section of your supermarket. Most markets carry it but if you can't find it, dried thyme may be substituted.
- Note: To toast the pine nuts, put them in a dry skillet and cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until golden in spots, about 3 minutes.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
Powered by 
- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 540
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated fat: 7 g
- Carbohydrates: 66 g
- Sugar: 11 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 16 g
- Sodium: 695 mg
- Cholesterol: 27 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
See more recipes:
Comments
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
FReakin-a Jenn!!! This was so delicious!!! I had to modify slightly and my husband said best pasta ever!!!
I added shrimp cause we love it. I used Roma tomatoes cause that’s what I had. I used Tuscan dried seasoning. I used aged hard Gouda. I also grilled on the gas grill so I didn’t heat up the house. Amazing!!! Thank you!!! ♥️
Devine!! While putting the sauce together, I added 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes, some of the pasta water, some fresh spinach and a little extra olive oil. Delicious!! Very flavorful! This is a keeper!! Thanks so much!!
Your cookbook is the best, love your website, and always look forward to receiving your Thursday emails with delicious, new recipes to try. I am anxious to try this primavera recipe; however I am unable to eat corn due to health issues. What may I substitute for the corn?
❤️
So glad you like the recipes! You can use more zucchini or more tomatoes in place of the corn. If you’d like to use something different, yellow squash or diced bell peppers would work nicely too. Hope you enjoy!
Excellent! I made a few changes (omitted cheese and butter due to dietary restrictions), used diced Roma tomatoes instead of cherry tomatoes, and added mushrooms (because they needed to be used). A surprisingly easy meal, using ingredients that were already on hand, and yielded fabulous results. I will be making this often both for company and just for us. Thanks for a wonderful recipe.
Fab-u-lous!!! Even my picky teens loved it! I did have to substitute the herbes de Provence with dried Thyme and left out the pine nuts – but nonetheless it was YUMMMMY! Adding it to my go-to list as we speak!
Can you serve this at room temperature? I would like to prepare ahead of time for my book club.
Definitely, I’ve served it that way. Enjoy!
With all the fabulous reviews, I am definitely going to make this recipe this weekend. One question: I’m going to grill some sausages for the carnivores in my family. Any suggestions of what type of sausage would go best with the pasta? Thank you!
Hi Pam, I’d do spicy Italian pork sausage. Hope your family enjoys!
Just finished making this and I’m waiting for my daughter to come home for dinner. I HOPE there’s some left for her. Is THAT good! I made it as close to the original recipe as I could. I had to substitute yellow squash for the zucchini because the store was sold out of zucchini. Everyone must have seen this recipe online and rushed to the store for the ingredients before me. Lol
Also, I used 1/2 teaspoon red pepper instead of 1/8. We like a little heat.
This will definitely become a summer go to dish. Thanks for all your great recipes!
Do you think parmesan would make a good substitute for the pecorino?
Yep 🙂
This was so delicious—made it exactly as written, except increased the corn, because we love corn! Used best quality cheese and fresh picked basil from our garden. Made it with Trader Joe’s Red Lentil Gluten Free Pasta—absolutely amazing!
Hi Jenn
I want to make this but cant seen to find pecorino romano cheese. Would you please suggest
a substitute?
Thanks
Donna
Hi Donna, Parmigiano Reggiano will work nicely. Hope that helps! 🙂