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Butterfly pasta noodles mixed with asparagus, corn and snap peas

Lemon Pasta Primavera Recipe


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5 from 4 reviews

Description

A bright lemon pasta primavera recipe for summer packed with fresh seasonal vegetables - corn, sugar snap peas, asparagus - and tossed in a luscious lemon-parmesan sauce. Easy to prepare and can be enjoyed warm or at room temperature.


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed (see note 1)
  • 3 cups sugar snap peas (about 3 big handfuls), stringed (see note 2)
  • 4-5 ears of fresh corn, shucked (or 3 cups frozen corn, thawed)
  • 1 pound pasta, such as campanelle, farfalle or other frilly shapes
  • 1/2 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 3 juicy lemons)
  • 2/3 cup grated Parmigiana Reggiano, plus more for serving
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  • 10-12 large basil leaves, stacked and thinly sliced

Instructions

Blanch the Vegetables
Set up an ice bath by filling a large bowl with cold water and ice. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil (Note: You can use the same water for all the vegetables, but cook the corn last to avoid the strings getting tangled in the other veggies.)

  1. Add asparagus to the boiling water and cook for 2-3 minutes, until bright green and crisp-tender. Using tongs, transfer asparagus to the ice bath until cool. Drain well, slice into bite-sized pieces, and add to a large bowl. You may need to replenish the ice bath with more water and ice as you go.
  2. Next, add snap peas to the same boiling water and cook for 2 minutes. Use a mesh skimmer or slotted spoon to transfer them to the ice bath. When cool, drain and slice diagonally into thirds and add to bowl with asparagus.
  3. Finally, add the corn cobs to the pot and cook for 3 minutes. (If using frozen corn, no cooking is needed.) Cool in ice bath, drain, cut kernels off the cob, and add to bowl with the other vegetables.

Cook the Pasta

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 1 tablespoon of kosher salt. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente.
  2. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta and add it to the large bowl with the prepared vegetables.

Make the Lemon-Parmesan Sauce

  1. While the pasta is cooking, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
  2. Pour the sauce mixture over the pasta and vegetables and toss to combine.
  3. Add the reserved pasta cooking water if needed, a little at a time, tossing with the pasta until the sauce reaches your desired consistency. It should just lightly coat the pasta and vegetables. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
  4. Serving Suggestion: This pasta is delicious served immediately while still warm, but it can also be enjoyed at room temperature as a pasta salad. Just before serving, toss in the fresh basil. If serving warm, offer extra Parmesan cheese on the side.

Notes

  1. A Note on Trimming Asparagus: You'll want to remove the tough, woody part at the end of each spear. While some people recommend bending the stalk to find its natural breaking point, I find a more reliable method is to simply use a knife. Look at the end of the asparagus spear and notice where the stem thickens and starts to turn white. This is typically about an inch or two from the bottom. Cut this part off and discard it or use it for another purpose.
  2. To string snap peas, hold each pea pod near the stem end. Bend the stem until it snaps. It will stay attached to the fibrous string that runs along the inner edge of the pea. Pull that string down along that  inner curve to remove it. You'll find more details on how to string snap peas in the written post for this recipe.
  3. Nutrition Disclaimer: We do our best to provide accurate nutrition values using an online nutrition calculator however our nutrition information should only be used as an approximation.
  • Prep Time: 30 mins
  • Cook Time: 30 mins
  • Category: Main Dish or Side Dish
  • Method: boil
  • Cuisine: Out of this World