This seasonal inspired Spring Pasta Primavera is putting a spring in my step. Its light and fresh flavors are perfect for a healthy lunch or dinner.
This pasta is made with fresh rainbow carrots (the ones with the greens on top), asparagus, green peas, garlic and lemon, all hallmarks of springtime. And rather than add butter, I use a little almond milk cheese to add creaminess.
The inspiration to make this recipe comes from a Food & Wine recipe that calls for 12 tablespoons of butter. That’s one and half sticks of butter! That’s three tablespoons per serving! I love pasta as much as the next person, but I’d rather not have mine with a side of unhealthy fat.
Instead, I keep my recipe light on the bad stuff but still packed with flavor.
My Spring Pasta Primavera can easily be made gluten-free, using any number of high quality gluten-free pastas available on the market. There is Banza made from chickpea flour (vegan); Cappellos made from almond flour (contains eggs); or Maninis, which is fresh pasta made with various flours (and eggs).
There are also other gluten-free pastas made from lentil flour, quinoa flour, brown rice flour and more.
Peas, fettuccine and fresh garlic
I like to use typical spring vegetables and herbs in this recipe ~ asparagus, peas, carrots and chives. However, snap peas, ramps, leeks, artichokes, morel mushrooms, fennel, and fava beans are also in season in the spring and go well in pasta dishes.
The veggies are peeled into ribbons, which I use my Kuhn Rikon y-shaped peeler to do. I love and highly recommend these inexpensive yet durable peelers, for everything!
Once prepped, the veggies are lightly sautéed with garlic, and then combined with the rest of the ingredients.
To add some creaminess to the pasta I use a little dairy-free Kite Hill chive flavored creamy almond cheese. You’ll see the container says “cream cheese”, but it tastes more like a delicious creamy boursin.
Green topped carrots taste fresher than bagged ones
Lemon zest picks up the flavor of the dish, and then I like to garnish with watercress. Other greens that are nice to add are chives or tarragon, or even arugula.
A pesto would go great in place almond cheese
If you prefer to have a sauce on your pasta, a spring pesto would be perfect here. You can make a traditional basil pesto, or mix it up with other herbs.
Spring Pasta Primavera
Think you will make this recipe? Which combo do you think you might try? Leave comment and let me know, or snap a pic of your creation and tag me on Instagram.
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Avocado Pesto Pasta
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- 2 servings fettuccine pasta
- 1 tsp olive or avocado oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3-4 large rainbow carrots shaved into ribbons
- 6-8 thick asparagus spears peeled and shaved into ribbons
- 1/4 cup green peas fresh cooked or thawed frozen
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest minced
- 2-3 tsp Kite Hill chive almond cheese or add more for extra creaminess
- 1/4 cup fresh water cress leaves
Ingredients
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- cook pasta in salted water according to al dente instructions on package, drain and reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water
- meanwhile, heat oil in a sauté pan over medium-low heat, cook minced garlic about 2 minutes (do not brown)
- add carrots and asparagus to pan, increasing heat to medium, and cook until just tender, about 2-5 minutes (depending on thickness off your veg), season veggies with salt & pepper to taste
- add cooked pasta, green peas and lemon zest to sauté pan with the veggies and toss lightly to blend
- add chive almond cheese to pasta if using, and a little of the reserved pasta water to blend, then plate and garnish with watercress
- recipe makes 2 entrée servings, or 4 side servings
- see blog post for variation and substitution suggestions
Original recipe created by Jerran Boyer
www.healthnutchefs.com