easy peasy pasta primavera
because green vegetables are BACK!
Earlier this week while taking a walk around the farm, I saw something that literally (like, *literally*) stopped me in my tracks and made me shout out loud.
The asparagus is up!
Have you ever seen a more beautiful thing?
Maybe it’s because I’ve been starved of anything green all winter, but the sight of those bright, slender spears pushing skyward sent a serotonin boost through my body, and made me *ridiculously* excited about the arrival of spring.
And now that daylight savings has started (or did daylight savings end? honestly, I still don’t understand how any of it works or why we do this to ourselves), I can have a few quiet minutes working outside in the fading daylight after the kids are tucked into bed. I’m thankful for every extra second of daylight, because we are FULL STEAM AHEAD on the farm, planting like crazy to get ready for our (sold out!) Spring CSA, which starts in less than 3 weeks.
I’m relived to report that (thanks to my kickass crew) we’ve finished planting our first big round of spring veggies – everything from kale to kohlrabi, cabbage, broccoli, lettuces, bok choy, onions, scallions, leeks, radishes, turnips, arugula, fennel, cilantro, dill, parsley and a smattering of edible flowers are in the ground. I’m extra relived after looking at the 10-day weather forecast, because we’ve got nothing but sunshine and (relatively) warm temps ahead, which will give these veggie babies a big boost as they get established. In other exciting news, we’re planting potatoes next week! A reminder that I have a helpful post about planting potatoes over on my Gardening Guides page.
Speaking of spring planting… I’ve been busy behind the scenes working on a comprehensive spring veggie planting guide for you! This guide is filled with practical information like 1) the best crops to grow for spring, 2) ideal timing for when to plant each crop, 3) whether to direct seed vs. plant transplants, 4) proper plant spacing, and 5) a bunch of other notes + lessons I’ve learned after 15 years of gardening and farming. As long as my sweet babies take good naps this weekend (!) this post should be coming your way on Wednesday next week. Do you have any specific spring garden questions/topics you’d like me to cover in this guide? Leave them in the comments of today’s post. :)
Need some culinary inspiration for the weekend? Here’s my weekly round up of seasonal recipes from around Substack (and from my ever-growing recipe index) to help you eat like a farmer:
Asparagus Tart with Herby Goat Cheese from your’s truly :)
Minted Fava Beans with Smashed Potatoes from
/Not technically a recipe, but I love this pesto chart from
and her newsletter, ! (especially after getting on my soap box about non-traditional pesto in my post last week)
Keep reading for today’s recipe for Easy Peasy Pasta Primavera, available for everyone.
As you’ve already heard… seeing the first spears of asparagus emerge this week was like a religious experience for me, so *obviously* the star of this week’s recipe is asparagus! After spending the long winter months trying to cook creatively with the same rotation of root veggies, winter squash, and hardy greens, I am BEYOND ready for some new veggies to play with in the kitchen.
While scheming about what to do with this most thrilling spring vegetable, I knew I wanted to go the pasta route. I imagined something fresh, herby, lemony, creamy, and filled with bright green spring veggies. And so! Today’s recipe is my take on a classic pasta primavera. (Fun fact – pasta primavera, which literally means “spring pasta” in Italian, is in fact not an authentic Italian dish, but originated on the New York restaurant scene in the 1970’s. Go figure.)
This recipe has just a little veggie prep in the beginning (which you can do while the pasta cooks), and once the noodles are al dente, everything comes together in a few quick minutes. Not going to lie, I’m mildly obsessed with this pasta, and I’ve already made it 3 times this week. It really is so good, so easy, and such a delicious celebration of SPRING.
A few helpful cooking notes:
For the pasta, use whatever kind of noodles you’d like – there’s no wrong answer!
DON’T FORGET TO RESERVE 1/2 CUP PASTA WATER. True story, the first time I made this I was a total dummy and tossed all the pasta water out when draining the noodles, which was a massive bummer. (Pasta water is precious because it is super starchy from cooking the noodles, so it helps bind and thicken the sauce to make it nice and creamy). My new trick to help me remember to reserve some pasta water is to put the measuring cup and ladle right next to the pot of boiling noodles, so I can’t forget.
The secret ingredient that makes this pasta *pop* is the fresh lemon juice + zest, so don’t skip the citrus! A little bit of acid goes a long way and kicks everything up a notch.
Keep reading for the full recipe (and a handy 1-page PDF for easy printing).
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Easy Peasy Pasta Primavera
Serves 4-6
INGREDIENTS
16 ounces pasta (use whatever type of noodles you’d like)
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 bunch asparagus (about 1lb), woody ends removed and chopped into 1” pieces
¼ lb sugar snap peas (or snow peas), sliced thinly (about 1.5 cups sliced)
1 large or 2 small shallots, finely chopped (about ¼ cup chopped)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1 cup fresh or frozen green peas (thawed, if from frozen)
½ cup reserved pasta water
½ cup heavy cream (or full fat Greek yogurt or creme fraiche)
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley, plus more for serving
2 tablespoons lemon juice
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Zest of one lemon, for serving
INSTRUCTIONS
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Cook 16 ounces pasta until al dente according to the package instructions. **Reserve ½ cup pasta water before draining!** Drain the cooked pasta, return to the pot, toss with a generous drizzle of olive oil, then cover and set aside.
While the water is heating up and the pasta is cooking, prep and cook your vegetables – chop 1 bunch asparagus into 1” pieces, thinly slice ¼ lb sugar snap peas, finely chop 1 large (or 2 small) shallot, and mince 4 cloves garlic.
In a 4-5 quart dutch oven (or similar pot), heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, stir in the chopped asparagus, sugar snap peas, shallot, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, cooking for 2-3 minutes, until the vegetables are bright green and barely tender (don’t overcook). Stir in 4 cloves minced garlic and cook for 30 more seconds, stirring frequently.
Add the cooked pasta to the pot with the vegetables, along with 1 cup green peas, ½ cup reserved pasta water, ½ cup heavy cream (or yogurt or creme fraiche), ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, and zest of 1 lemon. Stir until well combined and creamy.
Taste (!) and adjust seasoning as needed – I usually add another ½ teaspoon kosher salt, or if you want more acidity, add more lemon juice.
To serve, divide the pasta into bowls and garnish with additional Parmesan cheese, chopped fresh parsley, lemon zest, and freshly ground black pepper. Enjoy while hot!
That’s all for this week! If you enjoyed, it would mean the world if you tapped that “heart” button below, share this with a friend, subscribe, or leave a comment. Thank you so much, I’m thrilled you’re here. :)
Michelle! I greatly enjoyed reading your post. As a fellow gardener and lover of wholesome ingredients, it is always fun to find someone who enjoys similar things! Looking forward to following along!
I love your posts! I planted asparagus for the first time. The trench took me so long and was a great workout. I am grateful for your suggestion to get a small tiller. What a difference. If I'm lucky, I'll be feeling the same way about seeing asparagus next spring. Thank you for sharing your work and recipes. 💚