Pasta Primavera

Make Pasta Primavera now: a bright, vegetable-packed penne tossed with pecorino and lemon for quick, delicious meals.

Ingredients

• 10 ounces penne pasta
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 4 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 yellow squash, sliced into thin half-moons
• 1 zucchini, sliced into thin half-moons
• 1 bunch asparagus, chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• ½ cup frozen peas, thawed
• ¾ cup grated pecorino cheese
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• Red pepper flakes
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnish
• ¼ cup fresh tarragon, optional
• Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Step 1: Cook the pasta

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil and cook the penne until pleasantly al dente, tender with a slight bite at the center. Drain the pasta and immediately toss it in a light drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil so the ridged tubes separate and develop a glossy, barely oily sheen that will cling to the vegetables later.

Step 2: Sauté the vegetables

Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a large, deep skillet and gently sauté sliced garlic until aromatic, then add the thin half-moons of yellow squash and zucchini, the chopped 1-inch asparagus, halved cherry tomatoes, and the thinly sliced red onion. Season with sea salt and several grinds of black pepper and sauté just 3–4 minutes until everything is tender-crisp: zucchini and squash softened with slightly seared edges, asparagus bright and snappy, tomatoes glossy and beginning to yield. The vegetables should look vivid, glossy with olive oil, and retain distinct textures — this is the mixed vegetable milestone.

Step 3: Toss, finish, and serve

Add the drained penne back to the vegetables along with the thawed peas, grated pecorino, and a bright splash of fresh lemon juice; toss until the cheese softens into the pasta, the lemon lifts the flavors, and a pinch of red pepper flakes warms the mix. Fold in torn fresh basil (and tarragon if using), taste and adjust seasoning, then transfer to a serving bowl, drizzle a little more olive oil, scatter extra basil and a fine snow of pecorino, and serve immediately with freshly ground black pepper.

Notes

• Undercook vegetables slightly if you plan to keep leftovers to preserve texture.
• Reserve a cup of pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed.
• Use fresh lemon juice for brightness; bottled lacks that lift.
• Toast pine nuts and sprinkle on top for added crunch.
• Grate pecorino finely so it melts easily into the warm pasta.