This angel hair pasta primavera recipe is full of beautiful spring vegetables like asparagus, peas, zucchini and artichoke and fresh herbs. A light pasta dish without cream, cheese or oil that's tasty all spring and summer.

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🧄 Ingredient notes
- Pasta - angel hair or capellini pasta (regular or whole wheat) is what I have used in this recipe. The noodles are very thin and cook very fast, which helps to bring this dish together quickly
- Asparagus - Fresh asparagus is a springtime treat and is beautiful in this recipe
- Peas - Green peas add protein, bright color and sweetness. Frozen is fine.
- Spinach - fresh baby spinach works best here
- Tomatoes - a can of diced or stewed tomatoes, preferably with italian herbs already infused
- Fresh herbs - Basil and Italian parsley are recommended
📋 Substitutions and variations
Feel free to switch the vegetables around and use veggies you like best! Here are some substitution options:
- Angel hair pasta - substitute with capellini, thin spaghetti, linguine, gemelli, casarecce, pappardelle, bow tie or farfalle. For gluten-free, use a gluten-free pasta.
- Sweet yellow onion - substitute with red onion, yellow onion or spring green onions
- Zucchini - substitute with yellow squash or eggplant
- Frozen green peas - substitute with fresh green peas or shelled edamame
- Artichoke hearts - substitute with more zucchini, asparagus, green peas or some lemon juice (since artichokes are a bit tart)
- Spinach - substitute with kale, swiss chard or arugula
- Basil and Italian parsley - substitute with curly parsley, fresh cilantro, fresh tarragon, fresh green onions
- Canned tomatoes - substitute with fresh diced tomatoes or grape tomatoes, halved
🔪 Instructions
Here are the step-by-step pictures of how to make easy angel hair pasta primavera vegetables.
- Step 1: Bring salted water to boil in a large stock pot for the pasta and cook according to directions on box. Meanwhile, sauté onions in a large saucepan or dutch oven on medium heat for 5 minutes. If they begin to stick, add a tablespoon or two of water.
- Step 2: Add garlic and squash and cook for a 2-3 minutes. Add peas, artichoke and asparagus and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Step 3: Add spinach in batches, stir until it wilts down. Continue adding spinach. Add the angel hair pasta to the boiling water and cook according to directions on box. DO NOT OVERCOOK.
- Step 4: Add tomatoes, basil, parsley, salt and pepper and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Taste and adjust salt and pepper, as needed.
- Step 5: Add a portion of cooked, drained pasta to each bowl, then pour a portion of veggies over cooked pasta. Gently stir to combine.
- Step 6: Serve immediately and enjoy!
Expert tips
- Don't mix all the pasta with the veggies in the pan, since it may tear the delicate angel hair noodles. It's better to portion it out and gently toss in the bowl.
- Don't cook the angel hair pasta until the veggies are almost done. If the cooked pasta sits there very long, it will stick to itself.
🔄 Variations
This quick pasta primavera with asparagus and peas recipe is versatile. You don't have to just use spring vegetables.
Use whatever fresh or frozen vegetables you have on hand to create your own yummy pasta recipe. Some variation ideas for this recipe:
- Pasta primavera with summer vegetables: tomato, eggplant, bell pepper, zucchini
- Pasta primavera with fall vegetables: kale, butternut squash, cauliflower, mushroom
- Casarecce Pasta with Mediterranean Vegetables: zucchini, chickpeas, bell peppers, tomato, onion, olives and capers
- Use a different pasta: instead of angel hair or capellini pasta, use linguine, bow tie, farfalle, casarecce, orecchiette, orzo, gemelli, rigatoni, pappardelle or gnocchi with primavera vegetables.
- Make it creamy: Stir in ¼ cup of vegan sour cream (cashew cream) or 1 cup of prepared cauliflower alfredo sauce to make this pasta creamy and delicious
- Make it spicy: sprinkle on red chili flakes to make this pasta primavera spicy
- Use roasted vegetables: Intensify the flavor by roasting the vegetables on a sheet pan first, then mixing them in with the prepared angel hair pasta.
- Make it pesto pasta: Amp up the herbs by mixing in ¼ cup of prepared pesto with the pasta primavera to make it pesto pasta primavera.
- Make it saucy: This recipe is for a light pasta primavera. But, make it saucy by adding red sauce, tomato sauce, marinara sauce, pesto sauce or creamy alfredo sauce.
- Make it simple: Go with lemon garlic herb angel hair for a super simple pasta side dish that goes great with everything.
❓ FAQ
Yes! You can certainly use frozen vegetables to make pasta primavera. In fact, I prefer to use frozen green peas, since they are so fresh tasting and quick to cook. You could substitute frozen asparagus, frozen zucchini or yellow squash or frozen onions for their fresh counterparts. I would recommend using fresh (not frozen) spinach, basil and parsley for this recipe. You'll enjoy the dish much more if using fresh herbs and fresh spinach.
Pasta primavera is a light pasta dish typically prepared with fresh from the garden or market spring vegetables, olive oil and tomato.
Pasta primavera is delicious served by itself or with a protein of your choice.
🗺 Cultural influences
Pasta primavera, or pasta alla primavera, means "spring pasta" in Italian.
I don't claim this recipe is authentic or classic, after all it has no olive oil at all, among other things. I am not Italian. This is my whole foods plant based oil-free take on a classic dish that I have loved for years.
💜 More recipes you'll love
If you love this angel hair pasta with veggies recipe, check out these other Italian-inspired recipes, including lots of vegetable pasta, sauces and more!
Love this recipe?
Please rate it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and leave a comment below, so I know which recipes you like the best. This helps me know what to make more of!
📖 Recipe
Angel Hair Pasta Primavera with Vegetables
Ingredients
- 16 ounces angel hair pasta regular or whole wheat
- 1 sweet onion diced
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 zucchini or yellow summer squash sliced lengthwise, then thinly sliced
- 1 cup frozen green peas
- 8 ounces artichoke hearts quartered, packed in water
- 8 ounces asparagus trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces (about half a bunch)
- 4 cups baby spinach
- ½ cup fresh basil torn into small pieces
- ¼ cup fresh italian parsley minced
- 15 ounces diced tomatoes canned
- sea salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring salted water to boil in a large stock pot for the pasta.
- Meanwhile, sauté onions in a large saucepan or dutch oven on medium heat for 5 minutes. If they begin to stick, add a tablespoon or two of water.1 sweet onion
- Add garlic and squash and cook for a 2-3 minutes.6 cloves garlic, 1 zucchini or yellow summer squash
- Add peas, artichoke and asparagus and cook for 2-3 minutes.1 cup frozen green peas, 8 ounces artichoke hearts, 8 ounces asparagus
- Add spinach in batches, stir until it wilts down. Continue adding spinach.4 cups baby spinach
- Add the angel hair pasta to the boiling water and cook according to directions on box. DO NOT OVERCOOK.16 ounces angel hair pasta
- Add tomatoes, basil, parsley, salt and pepper and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Taste and adjust salt and pepper, as needed.½ cup fresh basil, ¼ cup fresh italian parsley, 15 ounces diced tomatoes, sea salt and pepper
- Add a portion of cooked, drained pasta to a bowl, then pour a portion of veggies over cooked pasta. Stir and enjoy!
Nutrition
Originally posted in 2016. Updated significantly on March 9, 2022 and republished with that date.
Pat Zolan says
Absolutely delicious looking! Looking forward to trying it. I might have to add chicken to it for Uncle Tom. Thanks for sharing Abi.
Abi Cowell says
Thank you, Aunt Pat! I hope you and Uncle Tom like it! It lends itself to tweaking, so add away whatever suits your fancy. 🙂
Pat Zolan says
Absolutely delicious looking! Looking forward to trying it. I might have to add chicken to it for Uncle Tom. Thanks for sharing Abi.
Rachel says
Way too much pasta. Is that 16oz of uncooked pasta? The sauce part was good but not sure how we need a lb of pasta. It made so much.
Abi Cowell says
Hi Rachel, I'm glad to enjoyed the flavors. We have this listed as serving 4 people, but certainly if you're serving smaller portions or serving this alongside something else, it could go further.
- Abi