This vegan angel hair pasta primavera recipe is full of beautiful spring vegetables like asparagus, peas, zucchini and artichoke and fresh herbs. A light, healthy, low fat pasta dish without cream or cheese 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 out the vegetables for your favorites! You can customize this plant-based pasta dish with whatever you have on hand.
Can I use frozen vegetables to make pasta primavera?
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.
In addition to the frozen green peas, 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.
🔪 Instructions
Here are the step-by-step pictures of how to make easy angel hair pasta primavera vegetables. Combine this with prepared angel hair or capellini pasta and you have a delicious light pasta dish.
Looking for the temps and times? Please scroll down to the recipe card at the end of this post for all the step by step details on ingredients and instructions. There's also a print recipe button down there!
🔄 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
Pasta primavera is very easy to make! First, prepare your pasta. Then, while it's cooking, chop your spring vegetables into small pieces. Saute onion, garlic and whatever spring vegetables you like (asparagus, spinach, zucchini, peas) with some diced tomatoes. Season with fresh basil, parsley, salt and pepper. Mix pasta with vegetables. For full recipe, scroll down to my recipe card.
Pasta primavera is a light pasta dish typically prepared with spring vegetables, olive oil and tomato.
Pasta primavera is delicious served by itself or with a protein of your choice.
Pasta primavera means u0022spring pastau0022 in Italian. So, pasta prepared with springtime vegetables, such as asparagus, green peas, spinach, basil, parsley.
No, typically pasta primavera does not have meat in it. It is a vegetarian pasta recipe, usually.
Since pasta primavera usually has lots of vegetables, it is one of the healthier pasta dishes. You can make it even healthier by limiting or using no oil or cheese in the pasta.
Sometimes, pasta primavera is made with cream, cheese or meat/seafood, which are all animal products. If it is made with those ingredients, it is not vegan. If the pasta primavera is made without cheese, cream, milk or meat or seafood, then it is vegan.
Pasta primavera is a fresh, light pasta dish that is meant to be eaten fresh. It can technically be frozen, but it is much nicer if eaten right away.
🗺 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 vegan pasta primavera recipe, check out these other Italian-inspired recipes, including lots of veggie pasta, sauces and more!
Love this recipe? Please rate it 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below in the recipe card. And, if you make it, please tag me on Instagram or Facebook in your posted photos! I would love to see your creations. 😄
📖 Recipe
Angel Hair Pasta Primavera
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 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.
- Add garlic and squash and cook for a 2-3 minutes.
- Add peas, artichoke and asparagus and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add spinach in batches, stir until it wilts down. Continue adding spinach.
- Add tomatoes, basil, parsley, salt and pepper and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Taste and adjust salt and pepper, as needed.
- Add a portion of pasta to a bowl, then pour a portion of veggies over cooked pasta. Stir and enjoy!
Notes
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