PASTA PRIMAVERA - an excellent way to use fresh vegetables in pasta

parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: grated mozzarella

Nutritional yeast adds a cheesy flavor with fewer calories.

olive oil

🥗Healthier: avocado oil

💰Cheaper: canola oil

Avocado oil is healthier, while canola oil is more budget-friendly.

fresh basil

🥗Healthier: spinach

💰Cheaper: dried herbs

Spinach offers similar nutrients, while dried herbs are more affordable.

cherry tomatoes

🥗Healthier: sundried tomatoes

💰Cheaper: canned tomatoes

Sundried tomatoes provide intense flavor, while canned are cost-effective.

Boil water in a large pot and salt it heavily.

Prepare garlic by crushing it and peeling it.

Melt 2-3 tablespoons of plant-based butter in a saucepan over low heat to infuse with garlic.

Chop half a zucchini into half-moon shapes and prepare a summer squash and a red bell pepper similarly.

Increase heat to medium-high and sauté the garlic and vegetables until cooked.

Add 1/4 cup of peas to the boiling pasta water for the last three minutes of cooking.

Cook the pasta for 9 minutes instead of 10, then use a spider to fish it out, reserving half a cup of pasta water.

Add the pasta and peas to the sautéed vegetables, along with the reserved pasta water to emulsify the sauce.

Mix everything together, ensuring the pasta is coated and cooked through, adding more pasta water if necessary.

Finish with fresh basil, mixing it in before serving.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens