One Pot Spring Vegetable Pasta (Printable)

Fresh spring vegetables and pasta simmer together in one pot with aromatic herbs and Parmesan for a simple, satisfying meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta & Broth

01 - 12 oz penne or fusilli pasta
02 - 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
03 - 1 cup water

→ Spring Vegetables

04 - 1 cup asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
05 - 1 cup sugar snap peas, trimmed
06 - 1 cup zucchini, halved and sliced
07 - 1 cup baby spinach
08 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
09 - 1 small leek, white and light green part, sliced
10 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Flavorings

11 - 2 tbsp olive oil
12 - 1 tsp lemon zest
13 - 2 tbsp lemon juice
14 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
15 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
16 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil or parsley

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add sliced leek and minced garlic, sauté until softened, approximately 2 minutes.
02 - Add pasta, vegetable broth, and water to the skillet. Bring to a boil, stir well, then reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
03 - Stir in asparagus pieces, sugar snap peas, and sliced zucchini. Continue cooking for 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until pasta and vegetables reach desired tenderness and most liquid has been absorbed.
04 - Add baby spinach, halved cherry tomatoes, lemon zest, lemon juice, and grated Parmesan. Cook for 2 additional minutes until spinach is wilted and tomatoes are heated through.
05 - Season generously with salt and black pepper. Remove from heat and sprinkle with chopped fresh herbs. Top with additional Parmesan if desired.
06 - Serve immediately while hot, accompanied by extra herbs and lemon wedges for garnish.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The pasta literally cooks in the same liquid as the vegetables, meaning all those nutrients and flavors end up in every single bite instead of down the drain
  • Cleanup takes literally two minutes since you only used one pot, which is a game changer on weeknights when motivation is low
02 -
  • The liquid will seem excessive at first but trust the process, it reduces and creates its own sauce as the pasta releases starch into the broth
  • Reserve about a half cup of the cooking liquid before the final step in case you want to loosen the sauce after adding the cheese
03 -
  • Use a pot that has a tight-fitting lid if you want to speed up the initial pasta cooking phase by covering it for the first 5 minutes
  • Add a pinch of red pepper flakes with the garlic if you like a little warmth that plays really nicely against the lemon

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