One-Pot Creamy Pasta Primavera (Printable)

Vibrant one-pot pasta with fresh vegetables and creamy sauce. Quick, satisfying, and ready in 35 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz penne or fusilli pasta

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium zucchini, sliced
03 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
04 - 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
05 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
06 - 1 cup snap peas, trimmed and halved
07 - 1 medium carrot, sliced thin
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Sauce

09 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
10 - 3 cups vegetable broth
11 - 1 cup heavy cream
12 - 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
13 - 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
14 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

15 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
16 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic, zucchini, bell peppers, carrot, and snap peas. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until slightly softened.
02 - Add pasta, cherry tomatoes, and vegetable broth. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente and most of the liquid is absorbed.
03 - Stir in heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, and Italian herbs. Simmer uncovered for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens and coats the pasta and vegetables.
04 - Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Remove from heat and stir in fresh basil.
05 - Serve hot, garnished with extra Parmesan and basil if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one pot, so cleanup takes about three minutes and you can actually enjoy your evening.
  • The vegetables stay bright and crisp-tender instead of mushy, giving every bite real texture and color.
  • It tastes like you spent an hour building layers of flavor, but you're really just stirring a pot every few minutes.
  • You can toss in whatever vegetables are sitting in your fridge and it still works beautifully.
02 -
  • Stir the pasta every few minutes while it simmers or it will stick to the bottom of the pot and you'll end up with a burned mess.
  • Don't skip the simmer after adding the cream, those few minutes let the starch from the pasta thicken the sauce into something velvety instead of soupy.
  • If the sauce looks too thick, add a splash of broth or pasta water to loosen it up before serving.
03 -
  • Use a pot that's wide enough to let the pasta spread out in a single layer, it helps everything cook evenly and prevents clumping.
  • Grate your own Parmesan instead of buying pre-grated, it melts smoother and tastes so much better.
  • Taste the pasta a minute or two before the timer goes off, you want it just shy of tender since it'll keep cooking in the hot sauce.
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