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Home » Recipes » Pasta

Lemon Pasta with Summer Vegetables

Published: Jun 16, 2014 · Updated: Jun 3, 2021 · By Lisa Goldfinger · 14 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links

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A glass bowl filled with frilly pasta with vegetables

This lemon pasta is one of my favorites for spring and summer dinners and backyard barbecues: asparagus, sugar snap peas and corn mixed with frilly pasta that holds the luscious lemon-parmesan vinaigrette, with lots of fresh basil and cracked pepper sprinkled on top. Scrumptious!

Pasta with asparagus, corn, snow peas and lemony dressing

There are those times of year when the vegetables in the store call out to me and dictate what I cook. When I see beautiful ears of fresh corn or gorgeous green asparagus, they practically jump into my cart. Then I start imagining a pasta dish with lots of lemon and basil and fresh grated parmigiana Reggiano....

Lemony pasta with corn, asparagus and snow peas.

Here's what this lemony pasta primavera is about: the sweetness and crunch of the crisp-tender vegetables mixed with frilly pasta in a luscious lemony sauce. It's like a beautiful sunny day in a bowl!

bowl of pasta salad with vegetables

This lemony pasta makes a great vegetarian main course. Serve it with a tomato salad, tricolore salad, or an arugula salad with cherry tomatoes, for color and flavor contrast. It also works well as a side dish with anything grilled. I've made it twice in the past week - once with grilled salmon steaks and again yesterday - for Father's Day - with pulled pork sandwiches and spicy grilled chicken.

If you're having a crowd, you can easily double the recipe. It's delicious served hot or at room temp as a pasta salad. I hope you enjoy this as much as I do!

Here's the recipe for Lemony Pasta with Summer Vegetables. If you try this recipe I hope you'll come back to leave a comment and a rating. I'd love to know what you think.

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Recipe

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Everyone needs a great pasta primavera recipe in their repertoire. This lemony pasta is the one I love for spring and summer dinners and backyard barbecues: crisp tender asparagus, sugar snap peas and corn, mixed with frilly pasta, tossed in a luscious lemony sauce with parmesan cheese, basil and lots of fresh ground black pepper.

Lemon Pasta with Summer Vegetables


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 4 reviews

  • Author: Lisa
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 6-8 servings 1x
Print Recipe

Description

Frilly pasta with fresh summer vegetables in a luscious lemony sauce. Serve warm or at room temperature.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound pasta - any shape you like. I like the frilly shapes for this dish, such as Campanelli.
  • 1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed
  • 3 big handfuls of sugar snap peas (about 3 cups) stringed
  • 4-5 ears of fresh corn, shucked (or substitute 3 cups frozen corn, thawed)
  • Sauce
  • ½ cup good quality extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ cup fresh lemon juice (about 3 juicy lemons)
  • ⅔ cup fresh grated good quality parmigiana cheese, such as Parmigiana Reggiano, plus more for sprinkling
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  • 10-12 large basil leaves, stacked and thinly sliced

Instructions

  1. Blanch the Vegetables: Set up a large bowl of ice water in your sink. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. (you can use the same water for all the vegetables but cook the corn last to avoid strings getting tangled in the other veggies) Put the asparagus into the boiling water and set the timer for 2 - 3 minutes, depending on how thick they are. Transfer them to the ice water to stop the cooking process immediately and preserve their bright green color. Slice them into bite-sized pieces. Put them into a large bowl and set aside. Add snap peas to the boiling water. Set the timer for 2 minutes. Scoop them out and plunge them into the ice bath, using a slotted spoon or mesh skimmer. Slice off the tough little root at the end of each pea pod and slice peas diagonally into thirds. Add them to the bowl with the asparagus. Add corn to the boiling water and set the timer for 3 minutes. Plunge corn into ice water to cool and then cut the kernels off the cob and add to the bowl. (if using frozen corn, no need to cook it) Vegetables can be blanched ahead of time and kept in an airtight container in the fridge for a few hours - bring to room temp before continuing.
  2. Cook the Pasta:  Cook pasta in salted water (1 tablespoon), according to the package directions. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water.
  3. Make the Sauce: While the pasta is cooking, whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, parmesan, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Put pasta into the large bowl with the vegetables. Pour the sauce mixture on top and toss to coat. Add up to a cup of the cooking water, tossing, until you get your desired consistency. The sauce shouldn't be liquidy, it should just coat the pasta. Season pasta with salt and pepper, to taste.
  4. Toss with basil just before serving. Serve with extra parmigiana cheese on the side.
  • Prep Time: 30 mins
  • Cook Time: 30 mins
  • Category: Main Dish or Side Dish
  • Method: boil
  • Cuisine: Out of this World

Did you make this recipe?

If you make this recipe, please let me know how it turns out for you! Leave a comment below and share a picture on instagram with the hashtag #panningtheglobe

 

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Filed Under: All Recipes, Dinner, Lunch and Brunch, Pasta, Salads, Side Dish, Vegetarian

Reader Interactions

Comments

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  1. jen

    September 11, 2020 at 12:38 pm

    Hi Lisa! Thank you for another beautiful and delicious recipe!!! Question: how far in advance can one prep the veggies?

    Reply
    • Lisa

      September 11, 2020 at 1:34 pm

      Hi Jen! Good Question!! You can chop and combine the olives, capers, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper up to 4 hours ahead. Keep the mixture covered, in the fridge, and bring to room temp before using. The tomatoes and basil are better if they're sliced at the last minute. I hope that helps!

      Reply
  2. Rebeca

    July 04, 2020 at 10:09 pm

    I've made it as written and also with feta instead of parm because I had to use some up. Very good! I also added the lemon zest from the lemons cuz "waste not want not" and it upped the lemon factor in a lovely way.

    Reply
    • Lisa

      July 05, 2020 at 7:33 am

      Hi Rebecca, I love the idea of lemon zest and feta in this dish. I'm glad you enjoyed and thanks so much for reporting back!

      Reply
  3. Paul

    December 20, 2019 at 2:38 pm

    A taste of summer!! Fantastic

    Reply
  4. Renee

    March 07, 2016 at 11:48 pm

    Oh my gosh, the combination of the fresh garden veggies with lemon and pasta is perfect! Looks like the perfect summertime meal!

    Reply
  5. jenny

    July 12, 2014 at 11:18 pm

    this was so perfect. loved every bit of it. and i loved the sequence of briefly blanching each vegetable with the same water. what a delight! was even thinking a bit of feta would be nice in it.

    Reply
    • Lisa Goldfinger

      July 15, 2014 at 9:24 am

      I agree about the feta!

      Reply
      • Rebeca

        July 04, 2020 at 10:08 pm

        I've made it as written and also with instead of parm because I had to use some up. Very good! I also added the lemon zest from the lemons cuz "waste not want not" and it upped the lemon factor in a lovely way.

  6. Carol at Wild Goose Tea

    June 20, 2014 at 4:39 pm

    Gosh this is a gorgeous looking dish. It is more of an edible center piece for your table. I am already envisioning the place mats and plates to go with it. Not only that it is a celebration of what we are so lucky to have fresh in our markets now.

    Reply
    • Lisa Goldfinger

      June 24, 2014 at 7:26 am

      Thanks Carol!

      Reply
  7. Mindy

    June 18, 2014 at 2:29 pm

    Looks and sounds so delicious! Can't wait to try it.

    Reply
  8. Roberta Bonoff

    June 16, 2014 at 2:07 pm

    Sounds perfect for summer parties. How far in advance can you add the sauce?

    Reply
    • Lisa Goldfinger

      June 16, 2014 at 2:32 pm

      If you're serving it as a pasta salad I would still recommend cooking the pasta and tossing everything together with the sauce no more than two or three hours before serving, otherwise the lemon juice will fade the colors of the green vegetables and it won't look as vibrant.

      Reply

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