Creamy Pesto Pasta Primavera

This creamy pesto pasta primavera is loaded up with crisp, vibrant produce like broccoli, carrots, bell peppers, and zucchini, that are tossed together with tender pasta in an easy and lightly creamy pesto sauce. Top with your favorite protein or enjoy as a vegetarian side or main dish.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Packed with crisp, delicious veggies full of nutrients
• Pairs easily with your favorite protein for a complete meal.
• Lightly creamy, herby pesto sauce perfect for twirling into tender noodles.

Ingredients

• Pasta – we love garden rotini, but any pasta, small or long, will work well with this dish.
• Veggies – this dish is packed with nutrient-rich broccoli, carrots, bell pepper, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, and peas.
• Fresh basil and spinach – green, herby base for the easy homemade pesto.
• Pine nuts – toast for extra rich, buttery flavor.
• Parmesan cheese – nutty, salty addition to the pesto sauce.
• Garlic – pungent addition to pasta.
• Salt and pepper – rounds out all the flavors.
• Butter – adds rich depth to the creamy pesto sauce without making it heavy or greasy.
• Milk – 2% milk provides plenty of creaminess, but feel free to use whole milk if you want an even richer sauce. We have not tried plant milk, but its another option.
• All purpose flour –thickening agent for pesto sauce.
• Extra virgin olive oil –to saute the veggies and create the pesto sauce.
• Reserved pasta water – to thin the pesto sauce and help coat the noodles.

How to Make Creamy Pesto Pasta Primavera

Make the pesto base: in a food processor, combine the basil, spinach, Parmesan cheese, toasted pine nuts, and garlic cloves. Pulse until the ingredients are coarsely chopped. Add the olive oil and blend until smooth, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Set aside.

Make the pasta: bring a large sauce pot of water to a boil. Add the rotini and cook according to package directions until al dente, about 7 to 8 minutes. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water. Drain the pasta. Return the pasta to the pot and set aside.

Cook the veggies: while the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the broccoli and carrots. Saute 3 to 4 minutes. Add bell peppers and saute another 2 to 3 minutes. Add the zucchini, tomatoes, and garlic. Cook another 2 minutes before adding the frozen peas. Cook another 2-3 minutes, or until the peas are warm and the zucchini is tender. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Remove from heat.

Make the creamy pesto: melt the butter in a small saucepan on medium heat. Whisk in the flour into the milk and add to the saucepan. Whisk until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat and stir in pesto. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Combine ingredients & serve: combine the cooked pasta, vegetables, and creamy pesto in the pot used to cook the pasta. Mix well to incorporate. If the sauce is too thick, use some of the reserved pasta water to thin the sauce to the desired consistency. Divide the pasta among bowls and garnish with fresh basil and additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.

How to Store

Store leftover creamy pesto pasta primavera in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To reheat, add the pasta to a large skillet with a light drizzle of olive oil, a splash of chicken broth or water, and a few spoonfuls of leftover creamy pesto sauce (if you have any). Warm pasta over medium heat until the pasta is warmed throughout.

Recipe Variations

• Veggies – sub in your favorite seasonal produce for a varied veggie-full dish. Try butternut squash, honeynut squash, acorn squash, Brussels sprouts, carrots and kale for the fall. Broccoli, peas, and spinach in the winter. Asparagus, mushrooms, and leeks in the spring. And bell peppers, basil, corn, yellow squash, zucchini, and tomatoes in the summer.
• Pesto/sauce – keep the pesto creamy or try it classic. Try kale pesto, pumpkin seed pesto, or spinach pesto. Sun-dried tomato pesto or lemon pesto are also fun varieties. Or go with a completely different route with alfredo sauce, romesco sauce, vodka sauce, or Parma rosa sauce.
• Protein – this recipe was originally written as a vegetarian option, but this dish pairs great with shrimp, chicken, steak, and even turkey. Try turkey meatballs, bison meatballs, garlic Parmesan chicken skewers, Instant Pot shredded chicken, shrimp chimichurri.

What to Pair With Creamy Pesto Pasta Primavera

• Chicken – grilled chicken, chicken meatballs, or chicken burgers are great options. Try garlic Parmesan chicken skewers, Instant Pot shredded chicken, Italian herb chicken, or juicy chicken burgers.
• Turkey – gluten-free turkey meatballs, Greek turkey meatballs, and easy turkey burgers are an easy pairing.
• Beef/Bison – try grilled steak, beef meatballs, bison meatballs, bison burgers, or air fryer hamburgers.
• Seafood – pan-seared salmon or white fish, grilled shrimp, and shrimp chimichurri are quick options.
• Bread – dinner rolls, homemade breadsticks, homemade white bread, or garlic bread are perfect for soaking up extra creamy pesto.

Frequently Asked Questions

Check out these other yummy veggie-packed pasta recipes

• Summer peach pasta salad
• Roasted red pepper pasta
• Creamy avocado pasta
• Greek pasta salad
• Creamy Cajun pasta

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