Pasta Primavera literally means “spring pasta” in Italian. It’s an Italian-American dish invented in the 1970s, and widely credited to Sirio Maccioni, the co-owner of Le Cirque in New York City. Le Cirque ran Pasta Primavera as an off-menu special. Happily, from there it caught the eye (and taste buds) of the legendary Craig Claiborne, who then published the recipe for Pasta Primavera in The New York Times.
Craig Claiborne is a hero of mine, and he may well be the most influential American food editor and restaurant critic of the last 100 years. I think that he’d be okay with my addition of ham to his beloved Pasta Primavera, what with being a Mississippi native and Ole Miss alum and all. The addition of some sort of protein isn’t new. Chicken and shrimp aren’t strangers to Pasta Primavera, and smoked salmon takes it to a whole new level. But I like to add bits of ham–especially leftover Easter ham. Nothing screams “Springtime!” in the South quite like leftover Easter ham.
The Best Pasta Primavera is absolutely delicious, and it’s doubly nice because it’s one of those one-pot pasta recipes we all love. This version uses penne, but any thick, short pasta will work. Cavatappi is a favorite, but rotini, ziti, rigatoni, and even large elbow macaroni or bowties are fine.
Many recipes call for heavy cream, but I prefer the light creaminess of evaporated milk for Past Primavera instead. Further, evaporated milk comes in 12 oz. cans, which is exactly how much you need for this one-pot version. You won’t believe how silky the primavera sauce gets! You can certainly substitute whole milk, half and half, or buttermilk if you like.
The Best Pasta Primavera is very forgiving, so you have lots of leeway with vegetables. Asparagus is nice if you have it on hand, and so are the thin French green beans called haricots verts. A small yellow squash or zucchini in ¼-inch slices is a great addition. A handful of baby spinach or Swiss chard is lovely, as is a cup of broccoli florets. In the batch pictured here I added a few marinated artichoke hearts and some roasted grape tomatoes that I needed to use up. Go ahead and clean out the crisper drawer!
The main thing to consider as you add vegetables is when to put the various vegetables into the pot. Generally, squash and zucchini should be sautéed with the firm vegetables before adding the broth and pasta. More tender vegetables like asparagus, thin green beans, and broccoli, go in with the pasta. Tender greens go in with the peas, ham, and parmesan. Vegetables that are already cooked like my artichoke hearts and tomatoes also go in with the peas, ham, and cheese.
And finally, if you want a lovely silky smooth sauce, definitely use the kind of parmesan cheese you grate yourself. If you’re in a pinch can cope with some graininess and possible clumping, go ahead and use whatever version of pre-grated parmesan you have. Obviously, I recommend the former, but I’ve certainly done the latter.
And I always, always, always, garnish the pasta with a little lemon zest.
PRO TIP: The Best Pasta Primavera tastes great as leftovers, in fact it’s even better the second day. But like many leftover pastas, it can seem a little dry. If you’re reheating leftovers–even in the microwave–add a tablespoon or two of milk, stock, pasta water, or plain water per serving. Stir well after heating to loosen the sauce back up, and enjoy!
The Very Best Pasta Primavera
Ingredients
- 2 T. butter
- 1 shallot or small sweet onion, thinly sliced
- ½ a red bell pepper, cut into matchsticks
- 2 medium carrots, in matchsticks or thin strips
- 1 t. Italian seasoning
- 1 t. salt
- ½ t. pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
- 12 oz. evaporated milk
- 1 lb. uncooked dry penne pasta
- 1 cup frozen green peas, slightly thawed
- ½-1 cup cooked ham in small pieces
- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan, plus more for serving
- zest of a large lemon
Instructions
- Melt butter in Dutch oven or large skillet with a lid. Sauté shallots, red bell pepper, and carrots for several minutes until softened. Add Italian seasoning, salt and pepper, and minced garlic. Stir for one minute.
- Add the broth and evaporated milk. Bring to a simmer.
- Add pasta and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender. You'll need to check for doneness. When the pasta is done, take the skillet off the heat.
- As soon as the skillet is off the heat, quickly fold in the green peas, ham, and parmesan. Toss a few times to distribute and melt the cheese. Taste for salt and pepper an adjust if necessary. Serve immediately garnished with lemon zest.
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