A bright, spring-vegetable pasta — penne tossed with asparagus, green beans and peas in a light, creamy white wine sauce, with pancetta and mushrooms for savoury depth. Fresh, quick and full of the colours of spring. Primavera means spring, and this tastes of it.

What is pasta primavera?

Pasta primavera is a bright, vegetable-forward pasta dish — primavera is Italian for “spring” — built around whatever young, tender vegetables are in season. There is no single fixed recipe: some cooks dress the vegetables with little more than olive oil and lemon, while others bind them in a light, creamy sauce. Ours takes the second road — asparagus, green beans and peas blanched so they keep their bite, then folded through a silky white wine and cream sauce built on pancetta, garlic and mushrooms. Penne is our pasta of choice, though any short pasta works just as well.

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Why this works

Blanching the vegetables briefly keeps them crisp, green and full of flavour.
Pancetta browned slowly releases its savoury fat and gives the sauce real depth.
A light white wine and cream sauce dresses rather than drowns the vegetables.

Ingredient notes and swaps

Penne or another short pasta — it catches the vegetables and sauce.
Spring vegetables — asparagus, green beans and peas; broad beans or courgette work well too.
Pancetta — smoked bacon lardons make a fine swap.
Dry white wine and single cream — the light, silky base of the sauce.
Parsley and thyme — fresh herbs to lift it at the end.

A note on the vegetables: blanch them for a minute in the pasta water before the pasta goes in, lift them out, and add them back at the very end. They stay bright green and keep their bite — and you have used one pan fewer.

Penne Primavera

Penne tossed with spring vegetables, such as carrots, button mushrooms, asparagus, peas and green beans, along with loads of fresh herbs is a perfect example of our rustic approach to great-tasting Italian food.

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Prep Time 22

Cook Time 36

Total Time 58

Servings: 2 people

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Calories: 1010

Ingredients Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

200g Penne Pasta
100g Asparagus, cut into 5 cm lengths, keeping the tips separately
100g Green Beans, trimmed and cut into 5 cm lengths
100g Fresh Peas
1 Tbsp Rapeseed Oil
1 Onion, peeled and chopped finely
3 Garlic Cloves, peeled and chopped finely
120g Pancetta, chopped
120g Button Mushrooms, halved
1 Tbsp Plain Flour
250ml Dry White Wine
75ml Single Cream
3 Tbsp Parsley and Thyme leaves, chopped
Sea Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Method

Cook the Penne Pasta in slightly salted boiling water according to the packet instructions
Put the Asparagus stalks, Green Beans and Peas into a saucepan of slightly salted boiling water.
Bring back to the boil and cook for 3 - 4 minutes
Add the Asparagus tips into the pan and cook for a further 2 minutes
Drain thoroughly
Heat the Oil in a saucepan and add the Pancetta, cook until it releases oil and starts to brown
Add the Onion and Garlic and cook for 5 minutes, until softened
Add the Mushrooms and continue to cook for another 3 minutes
Stir in the Flour, cook for 1 minute
Gradually pour in the White Wine stirring continuously and bring to the boil.
Simmer until the sauce starts to thicken
Stir in the Cream and Herbs, seasoning to your own taste
Add the cooked vegetables and heat gently for 2 minutes
Divide the Pasta on to two serving plates and spoon the sauce mixture over the top

Nutrition

Calories: 1010kcalCarbohydrates: 89gProtein: 30gFat: 50gSaturated Fat: 19gSodium: 1250mgFiber: 14gSugar: 17g

Notes

Cooking pasta al dente is crucial here; it will finish cooking in the sauce.
Allow the pancetta to brown slowly to develop a deep, savoury base.
When adding wine, pour gradually while stirring to prevent clumping.

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Tips for success

Do not overcook the vegetables — they should stay bright and just tender.
Save some pasta water to loosen and bind the sauce.
Add the most delicate vegetables last so they keep their bite.
Let the pancetta brown properly before the onion goes in — that colour is flavour.

Make ahead, storage and reheating

Best fresh — a spring vegetable pasta is best eaten straight away.
Get ahead — prep and blanch the vegetables ahead so it comes together fast.
Storage — leftovers keep a day; lovely cold as a pasta salad.

What to serve it with

On its own as a generous main, or with a simple green salad.
A crisp, dry white wine — the same one that went into the sauce.

FAQ

Which vegetables should I use? Whatever is freshest and in season — peas, asparagus, courgette, beans and broccoli all work.

Can I make it vegetarian? Yes — leave out the pancetta and cook the onion, garlic and mushrooms in olive oil; a squeeze of lemon at the end lifts the sauce.

Can I use frozen vegetables? Frozen peas and beans are fine; add them near the end so they stay bright.