This Spring Vegetable Pasta is full of bright flavors! It's made with artichokes, peas, spinach, Parmesan cheese, and lots of lemon.
If you're craving spring flavors, be sure to check out this Lemon Vegetable Pasta. It's packed with green veggies and only takes 30 minutes to prepare, making it a great weeknight meal.
Whenever spring rolls around, I find myself craving lighter meals with bright flavors. This pasta is the perfect dish to welcome the season. It's packed with spring veggies and flavored simply with lemon zest and juice. This pasta is bright, clean, and simple.
It's made with fusilli or any other short pasta that's tossed with sauteed garlic and shallots, marinated artichoke hearts, frozen peas, and fresh spinach along with lemon zest and juice and grated Parmesan cheese.
The shortcut ingredients help to cut down on cooking time, making this a 30 minute meal. It's perfect for a healthy weeknight dinner. You can also top this pasta with roasted chicken breasts or sauteed shrimp to make it a bit heartier.
This pasta is vegetarian and gluten free, but can be made with regular pasta if gluten is not an issue for you.
Jump to:
- Which Spring Vegetables Go Well With Pasta?
- Ingredients For Spring Vegetable Pasta
- What Are Marinated Artichokes?
- Which Gluten Free Pasta Is Best?
- How To Make Spring Vegetable Pasta
- What To Serve With Lemon Vegetable Pasta
- How Long Does This Pasta Last In The Fridge?
- Can It Be Frozen?
- Spring Vegetable Pasta (Gluten Free)
Which Spring Vegetables Go Well With Pasta?
I love to celebrate the arrival of spring with seasonal vegetables that reflect the season. Spring vegetables are in season during the months before summer and often those that are green in color and full of fresh flavors.
Examples of spring vegetables include asparagus, snap peas, artichokes, arugula and other leafy greens, ramps, and rhubarb. These are all veggies that lend themselves well to light dishes such as pasta.
Spring vegetables are often earthy, slightly sweet, and do well when cooked lightly and added to dishes that don't overpower them.
This dish is made with a few shortcut ingredients such as marinated artichokes and frozen peas, which helps to cut down on cooking time, but still provide those great fresh and vibrant spring flavors that we all know and love.
Ingredients For Spring Vegetable Pasta
Here's what you'll need to make it.
- 6 cloves Garlic
- 2 Shallots (or half an onion, any color)
- 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
- 12 oz. Gluten Free Short Pasta (such as farfalle, rotini, fusilli, or penne) (or regular short pasta if not gluten free)
- 12 oz. Frozen Peas (equals 2 ¼ cups)
- 12 oz. Marinated Artichoke Hearts (equals 2 cups chopped)
- 2 cups Fresh Spinach or Arugula
- ¼ tsp. each of Kosher Salt and Pepper
- ¼ cup Vegetable Broth
- ¼ cup Lemon Juice (equals 1-2 lemons)
- Lemon Zest
- ½ cup Parmesan or Asiago Cheese (grated)
- Fresh Basil, Parsley, or Chives for garnish (optional)
What Are Marinated Artichokes?
Marinated artichoke hearts the tender, center part of the artichoke that are preserved in a jar with olive oil, vinegar, and a variety of herbs and spices.
They're a great ingredient because they're already spiced, which means they impart a lot of flavor into any dish. Marinated artichoke hearts are perfect used to make spinach artichoke dip or appetizers like these Spinach Artichoke Stuffed Mushrooms, as a topping for pizza or flatbreads, added to risotto or pasta, or used in a salad or antipasto platter.
Marinated artichoke hearts are ready-to-use and only need to be chopped before added to this Spring Vegetable Pasta.
They add a bright and tangy flavor to any dish. Marinated artichoke hearts can be found in the canned or jarred condiments section or the Italian or Mediterranean aisle of your local grocery store.
Which Gluten Free Pasta Is Best?
This recipe is gluten free and calls for any variety of short gluten free pasta, such as farfalle, rotini, fusilli, or penne. However, you can use any short pasta if gluten is not an issue for you.
I opted for the Brown Rice Farfalle from Jovial Foods. The gluten free pasta from Jovial Foods has great flavor, texture, and holds up nicely to the cooking process.
It's important to choose a high quality brand of pasta to ensure optimal taste and texture. Gluten free pasta can become easily overcooked and mushy, resulting in an unappealing texture, so it's best to cook it just until al dente and stir just until combined. The less you mess with gluten free pasta, the better the results.
- For the best results when making gluten free pasta, make sure to cook it just until al dente. Gluten free pasta can become very mushy when overcooked.
- Once the pasta is cooked just until al dente, place it in a strainer and rinse under cold water. This helps to stop the cooking process and keeps the pasta firm. Allow the cooled pasta to sit in the strainer until added to the rest of the ingredients.
- Stir the pasta only until combined with all of the other ingredients. Gluten free pasta falls apart easily and the less it's disturbed, the better.
- Make sure to use a high quality brand to ensure the best taste and texture.
How To Make Spring Vegetable Pasta
As far as pasta goes, this recipe is super easy to make.
All that's needed is to sauté the minced garlic and shallots in a skillet on the stove top along with frozen peas, which are then tossed with the cooked pasta, marinated artichokes, spinach, Parmesan cheese, and lemon zest and juice.
All of the ingredients are tossed just until combined and served with an extra squeeze of lemon juice and sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.
This pasta is made with shallots, which are milder and less pungent than onions. I find the mild and slightly sweet flavor of shallots to be better than onions when making pasta, but you can sub the shallots with half an onion if that's what you have on hand.
You can also sub arugula for spinach if you prefer.
- Mince 6 cloves of garlic and 2 shallots (or half an onion, any color).
- Drain one 12 oz. jar of marinated artichoke hearts and roughly chop them (equals 2 cups chopped artichoke hearts).
- Roughly chop 2 cups of fresh spinach.
- Grate ¾ cup of Parmesan or Asiago cheese.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, prepare one 12 oz. package of gluten free short pasta according to package instructions. Cook the pasta just until al dente.
- Once the pasta is al dente, drain it in a strainer and rinse under cold water. This will stop the cooking process and allow the pasta to retain its texture (this step is not necessary if using regular short pasta).
- Place a large skillet on the stove top and heat to medium-high.
- Once heated, add 2 Tbsp. of olive oil. Add the minced garlic and shallots and sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring often.
- Add one 12 oz. bag of frozen peas (equals 2 ¼ cups) to the skillet along with ¼ tsp. each of kosher salt and pepper. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the cooked and rinsed pasta along with the chopped marinated artichokes, chopped spinach or arugula, ½ cup of grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese, and ¼ cup of vegetable broth to the skillet.
- Using a Microplane or small grater, zest 1-2 lemons into the skillet. Squeeze the lemons and add ¼ cup of lemon juice to the pasta.
- Carefully stir all of the ingredients together and cook for another 1-2 minutes, or until the pasta is heated through and the cheese has melted.
What To Serve With Lemon Vegetable Pasta
Once all of the ingredients are combined and the pasta is heated through, it's time to serve!
I love to garnish this pasta with a squeeze of lemon juice, some extra grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese, and some fresh herbs such as basil, parsley, chives, or mint for even more color and flavor.
This vegetable pasta can be served on its own as a light meal or topped with some grilled or roasted chicken breasts or sauteed shrimp. The bright flavors of this pasta pair nicely with mild proteins like chicken or seafood.
Pasta dishes like this one are perfect paired with a tangy side salad or this minty fresh pea salad. It's also nice with roasted vegetables like this Parmesan roasted cauliflower or garlic roasted green beans.
Love pasta? Check out these recipes!
- Vegetable Pesto Pasta
- Vegetarian Mediterranean Pasta
- Leek Pancetta Pasta
- Green Pasta Sauce
- Skillet Vegetable Lasagna
- Kale and Pancetta Pasta
How Long Does This Pasta Last In The Fridge?
Any leftover pasta may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Make sure to allow the pasta to cool completely before transferring the the fridge for storage.
Can It Be Frozen?
For optimal taste and texture, I do not recommend freezing this pasta. It's best enjoyed right away or within a few days.
Love spring flavors? Check out these recipes!
- Cold Spinach Artichoke Dip
- Asparagus Broccoli Soup
- Skillet Shrimp and Spring Vegetables
- Smoked Salmon Arugula Quinoa Salad
- Lemon Artichoke Pea Risotto
- Prosciutto Wrapped Roasted Asparagus
Looking For More Vegetarian Pasta Recipes? Don't Miss These!
Creamy Mushroom Pasta
Tomato Chickpea Pasta
Vegan Pasta Bake
Spring Vegetable Pasta (Gluten Free)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 cloves garlic
- 2 shallots or half an onion, any color
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 12 oz. gluten free short pasta such as farfalle, rotini, fusilli, or penne, can use regular short pasta if not gluten free
- 12 oz. frozen peas equals 2 ¼ cups
- 12 oz. marinated artichoke hearts equals 2 cups chopped marinated artichoke hearts
- 2 cups fresh spinach or arugula
- ¼ cup lemon juice equals 1-2 lemons, plus lemon zest
- ¼ cup vegetable broth
- ¼ tsp. kosher salt
- ¼ tsp. pepper
- ¾ cup Parmesan cheese or Asiago cheese, grated
- fresh herbs such as basil, parsley, chives, or mint for garnish optional
Instructions
- Mince 6 cloves of garlic and 2 shallots (or half an onion, any color).
- Drain one 12 oz. jar of marinated artichoke hearts and roughly chop them (equals 2 cups chopped marinated artichoke hearts).
- Roughly chop 2 cups of fresh spinach.
- Grate ¾ cup of Parmesan or Asiago cheese.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, prepare one 12 oz. package of gluten free short pasta (or regular short pasta if not gluten free) according to package instructions. Cook the pasta just until al dente.
- Once the pasta is al dente, drain it in a strainer and rinse under cold water. This will stop the cooking process and allow the pasta to retain its texture (this step is not necessary if using regular short pasta).
- Place a large skillet on the stove top and heat to medium-high.
- Once heated, add 2 Tbsp. of olive oil. Add the minced garlic and shallots and sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring often.
- Add one 12 oz. bag of frozen peas (equals 2 ¼ cups) to the skillet along with ¼ tsp. each of kosher salt and pepper. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the cooked and rinsed pasta along with the chopped marinated artichokes, chopped spinach or arugula, ½ cup of grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese, and ¼ cup of vegetable broth to the skillet.
- Using a Microplane or small grater, zest 1-2 lemons into the skillet. Squeeze the lemons and add ¼ cup of lemon juice to the pasta.
- Carefully stir all of the ingredients together and cook for another 1-2 minutes, or until the pasta is heated through and the cheese has melted. Do not stir more than necessary, as this can cause the pasta to fall apart.
- To Serve: Serve the pasta with extra grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese, a squeeze of lemon juice, and some fresh herbs such as basil, parsley, chives, or mint for extra color and flavor (optional).
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