I cannot get enough of the fresh veggies of Spring. Let’s be honest, I also cannot get enough of pasta, any pasta… any sauce… any time. So, this dish is absolutely perfect for me. This pasta dish incorporates the best of the Spring veggies with a thick and luscious Parmesan cream sauce, garlic and fresh herbs. It is a flavor boom in every bite.
I know that something is really good when I literally crave it when I am not even cooking it. When I try and think of weeknight dinner ideas and this just pops into my head because it is so good I cannot stop thinking about it from the last time I ate it… I know it’s good. This Spring veggie pasta is exactly that.
What are the Spring veggies in this pasta?
I love the combination of broccoli, snow peas and asparagus in this pasta. The sweetness of the peas with the slightly bitter broccoli and the crunch of the earthy asparagus. It really is a winning combination. Yet, you can really add any veggies into the pasta that you like. I call it Spring veggie pasta because these are the veggies that are in season right now. Though, you can easily change it up seasonally with the same sauce and it would be delightful.
What vegetables are in Season in Spring?
This may vary slightly depending on where you live. Generally speaking, these are the veggies that are in season in Spring. I prefer using veggies that are in season as they are more affordable, more abundant and at their best quality.
- Artichokes
- Arugula
- Asparagus
- Beets
- Bok Choy
- Broccoli
- Broccoli Rabe
- Brussels Sprouts
- Cabbage
- Cardons
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Chard
- Chicory
- Collard Greens
- Dandelion greens
- Endive
- Fava Beans
- Fennel
- Garlic
- Horseradish
- Kale
- Leeks
- Lettuce
- Mushrooms
- Parsnips
- Peas
- Radishes
- Romanesco
- Scallions
- Spinach
- Sprouts
- Turnips
There are many to choose from and many that would be absolutely delicious in this pasta dish.
Chef’s Tip
When working with any pasta dish, but especially one that has creamy sauce of any kind, make sure you always keep some extra pasta water reserved on the side. This can help thin your sauce or loosen it if it sits too long. This will add creaminess and ensure that the flavor is not lost.
As always, don’t overcook the pasta either. Only to al dente, which has a little bit in it. Not crunch, but bite.
Creamy Spring Veggie Pasta
Ingredients
- Ingredients
- ¼ lb. snow peas stems trimmed
- ½ lb. asparagus ends snapped
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¾ cup broccoli florets
- 1 shallot minced
- 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
- Kosher salt to taste and for the pasta water
- Freshly Cracked Black pepper
- 12 ounces orecchiette
- ⅔ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano at room temperature
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped tarragon
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over medium-high heat.
- While the water is coming to a boil, slice snow peas and asparagus stems into ¼-inch-thick pieces; leave asparagus tips whole.
- Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add snow peas, asparagus, and shallots. Cook until vegetables are barely tender (but not too soft or mushy), 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute more. Season with salt and pepper.
- Drop pasta into boiling water and cook until al dente (1 to 3 minutes for fresh pasta, follow package instructions for dried pasta).
- While the pasta cooks, add the heavy cream into the veggie mix and reduce by about 1/2 and then sprinkle in about 1/3 cup parmesan cheese.
- Drain the pasta well, (saving about 1/2 cup pasta water) add the pasta to the sauté pan with the veggies and the sauce. Immediately toss pasta with vegetables, extra parmesan and herbs. Season generously with salt and pepper, if needed. If the mixture is too thick, you can thin it out a bit with the extra pasta water. Enjoy!
Here are my favorite tools and ingredients to use for this recipe
I love these Caraway ceramic nonstick sauté pans-https://amzn.to/3L0YP0R
I really like these flat wooden spatulas when cooking pasta or pan sauces like this-https://amzn.to/3UF8fTh
This is my favorite colander. I use it for all my draining needs- https://amzn.to/3L15oAA
This orecchiette taste the most like homemade that I have ever had. –https://amzn.to/3UCvIUU
