Garlic Parmesan Spring Vegetable Pasta (Printable)

Penne with asparagus, peas, and green beans in a light, creamy garlic-Parmesan sauce. Perfect spring vegetarian main dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz penne pasta

→ Vegetables

02 - 7 oz asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
03 - 1 cup fresh or frozen peas
04 - 1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

→ Sauce

05 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
06 - 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
07 - 1/4 cup vegetable broth
08 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
09 - 2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
10 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
11 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
12 - Zest of 1 lemon
13 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

→ Garnish

14 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese
15 - Fresh basil or parsley, chopped

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add penne and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain in a colander.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add asparagus, green beans, and peas to the skillet. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until vegetables are tender-crisp and maintain their bright green color.
04 - Pour vegetable broth into the skillet and cook for 2 minutes to combine flavors.
05 - Reduce heat to low and add heavy cream and Parmesan cheese. Stir continuously until cheese melts completely and sauce achieves a smooth consistency.
06 - Add cooked penne to the skillet and toss thoroughly to coat all pasta. Gradually add reserved pasta water as needed to achieve a silky sauce consistency.
07 - Season with black pepper, salt, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Mix well to distribute seasonings evenly throughout the dish.
08 - Transfer to serving bowls immediately while hot. Garnish generously with additional Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh herbs.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It turns weeknight ingredients into something that feels like you tried, without actually needing to try that hard.
  • The sauce clings to every piece of pasta and vegetable, so no bite feels boring or dry.
  • You can toss in whatever green things are sitting in your crisper drawer and it still works beautifully.
02 -
  • If you skip reserving the pasta water, the sauce might turn out too thick or clumpy, and you'll wish you had that starchy liquid to smooth things out.
  • Adding the Parmesan off the heat keeps it from seizing up into grainy clumps instead of melting smoothly into the cream.
03 -
  • Use the finest holes on your grater for the lemon zest so it melts into the sauce instead of sitting on top in little threads.
  • Toss the pasta in the skillet for at least a minute so it absorbs some of the sauce and every bite tastes cohesive, not like separate parts on a plate.
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