Lighter Pasta Primavera
By America's Test KitchenPublished on June 19, 2012
Time
1¾ hours
Yield
Serves 6 as a main dish
Ingredients
Table salt 6 ounces green beans, cut into ¾-inch pieces (about 1 ¼ cups)12 medium asparagus spears, tough ends snapped off, halved lengthwise, and cut diagonally into ¾-inch pieces1 medium zucchini, cut into ½-inch dice1 cup frozen peas 4 tablespoons olive oil 8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced thin (about 4 cups)4 large plum tomatoes (about 1 pound), peeled, cored, and chopped medium (about 2 cups)¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)½ cup low-sodium chicken broth 1 pound dried egg fettucine 2 medium cloves garlic, minced2 tablespoons unsalted butter ¼ cup shredded fresh basil leaves 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice Parmesan cheese . grated
Before You Begin
While not as delectably rich as our Pasta Primavera, this primavera, with considerably less saturated fat, is still delicious.
Instructions
- Bring 6 quarts water to boil in large stockpot for pasta. Bring 3 quarts water to boil over high heat in large saucepan for green vegetables; add 1 tablespoon salt. Fill a large bowl with ice water; set aside. Add green beans to boiling water in saucepan; cook 1 1/2 minutes. Add asparagus; cook 30 seconds. Add zucchini; cook 30 seconds. Add peas; cook 30 seconds. Drain vegetables and immediately plunge them into ice water bath to stop cooking; let sit until chilled, about 3 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat in now-empty saucepan. Add mushrooms and sauté until browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and red pepper flakes (if using), reduce heat to medium, and simmer until tomatoes begin to lose their shape, about 7 minutes. Add chicken broth and simmer until slightly thickened, about 4 minutes; cover to keep warm and set aside.
- Add 1 tablespoon salt and the pasta to boiling water in stockpot and cook until pasta is al dente (refer to package directions; cooking times vary with different brands). While pasta is cooking, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in large skillet. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant and very lightly colored, about 1 minute. Add blanched vegetables and cook until heated through and infused with garlic flavor, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt; set aside. Meanwhile, bring mushroom-tomato sauce back to simmer over medium heat.
- Drain pasta and add back to now-empty stockpot. Swirl softened butter into mushroom-tomato sauce. Add sauce to pot with pasta and toss well to coat over low heat. Add vegetables, basil, and lemon juice; season to taste with salt and toss well. Divide portions among individual pasta bowls. Serve immediately, passing cheese separately.
Time
1¾ hoursYield
Serves 6 as a main dishIngredients
Table salt
6 ounces green beans, cut into ¾-inch pieces (about 1 ¼ cups)
12 medium asparagus spears, tough ends snapped off, halved lengthwise, and cut diagonally into ¾-inch pieces
1 medium zucchini, cut into ½-inch dice
1 cup frozen peas
4 tablespoons olive oil
8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced thin (about 4 cups)
4 large plum tomatoes (about 1 pound), peeled, cored, and chopped medium (about 2 cups)
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 pound dried egg fettucine
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ cup shredded fresh basil leaves
1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
Parmesan cheese . grated
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Table salt
6 ounces green beans, cut into ¾-inch pieces (about 1 ¼ cups)
12 medium asparagus spears, tough ends snapped off, halved lengthwise, and cut diagonally into ¾-inch pieces
1 medium zucchini, cut into ½-inch dice
1 cup frozen peas
4 tablespoons olive oil
8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced thin (about 4 cups)
4 large plum tomatoes (about 1 pound), peeled, cored, and chopped medium (about 2 cups)
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 pound dried egg fettucine
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ cup shredded fresh basil leaves
1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
Parmesan cheese . grated
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Table salt
6 ounces green beans, cut into ¾-inch pieces (about 1 ¼ cups)
12 medium asparagus spears, tough ends snapped off, halved lengthwise, and cut diagonally into ¾-inch pieces
1 medium zucchini, cut into ½-inch dice
1 cup frozen peas
4 tablespoons olive oil
8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced thin (about 4 cups)
4 large plum tomatoes (about 1 pound), peeled, cored, and chopped medium (about 2 cups)
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 pound dried egg fettucine
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ cup shredded fresh basil leaves
1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
Parmesan cheese . grated
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
When developing our pasta primavera recipe, we wanted to simplify the cooking process while keeping the vegetable flavors fresh. We found that it was actually fine to blanch the vegetables together rather than separately as is traditional, as long as they were put into the pot at different times to make sure each cooked properly. We also realized that we could reuse that same pot (without washing) to cook the tomatoes and mushrooms. Another staple of primavera, its cream sauce, is usually cooked separately from the mushroom and tomato sauce; again, with our pasta primavera recipe we found that we could simplify things, eliminating yet another cooking pan, by adding the cream to the mushrooms and tomatoes.
Before You Begin
While not as delectably rich as our Pasta Primavera, this primavera, with considerably less saturated fat, is still delicious.
Instructions
- Bring 6 quarts water to boil in large stockpot for pasta. Bring 3 quarts water to boil over high heat in large saucepan for green vegetables; add 1 tablespoon salt. Fill a large bowl with ice water; set aside. Add green beans to boiling water in saucepan; cook 1 1/2 minutes. Add asparagus; cook 30 seconds. Add zucchini; cook 30 seconds. Add peas; cook 30 seconds. Drain vegetables and immediately plunge them into ice water bath to stop cooking; let sit until chilled, about 3 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat in now-empty saucepan. Add mushrooms and sauté until browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and red pepper flakes (if using), reduce heat to medium, and simmer until tomatoes begin to lose their shape, about 7 minutes. Add chicken broth and simmer until slightly thickened, about 4 minutes; cover to keep warm and set aside.
- Add 1 tablespoon salt and the pasta to boiling water in stockpot and cook until pasta is al dente (refer to package directions; cooking times vary with different brands). While pasta is cooking, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in large skillet. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant and very lightly colored, about 1 minute. Add blanched vegetables and cook until heated through and infused with garlic flavor, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt; set aside. Meanwhile, bring mushroom-tomato sauce back to simmer over medium heat.
- Drain pasta and add back to now-empty stockpot. Swirl softened butter into mushroom-tomato sauce. Add sauce to pot with pasta and toss well to coat over low heat. Add vegetables, basil, and lemon juice; season to taste with salt and toss well. Divide portions among individual pasta bowls. Serve immediately, passing cheese separately.
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