30 Minute Pasta Primavera Recipe with Italian Sausage
This fast and flavorful pasta primavera recipe is infused with the irresistible flavors of Italian sausage and vegetables in a rich, creamy sauce. It’s a one dish dinner that is quick, easy, flavorful, and super adaptable to whatever vegetables are in season. You can also choose to make it vegetarian or use chicken, shrimp or another protein. With this “back pocket” recipe you can say goodbye to boring pasta nights!
Looking for more easy pasta dish recipes? Try my Fast 5 Ingredient Creamy Pesto Pasta Recipe here, Simple Baked Pasta with Cheese here, or this 20 Minute Mediterranean Chicken Pesto Pasta Recipe!
This delicious, easy pasta primavera is a staple meal at our house, especially during the gardening season when I can use whatever I am harvesting at the time.
I love that this recipe is just as good with any vegetables that are in season, making it a valuable recipe to use up what we have and reduce kitchen waste. It’s one of the reasons (besides incredible flavor!) that I come back to it again and again.
It’s also so easy and quick – start to finish is 20-30 minutes, depending on what prep is needed for the veggies – and like most pasta dishes is wonderfully inexpensive.
What is pasta primavera?
Pasta primavera was popularized in the 1970s by an Italian restaurant owner of Le Cirque in New York city.
The word ‘primavera’ means spring in Italian which traditionally has meant a spring-style, fresh dish with lots of seasonal vegetables enjoyed through the spring and summer. The sauce lightly coats the pasta and vegetables unlike thicker, heavier alfredo-type sauces.
However, using any vegetables that are in season, like this creamy pasta primavera recipe suggests, you can easily make this quick and flavorful dish any time of the year!
What is in Pasta Primavera?
You’ll need the following ingredients to make this amazing recipe for pasta primavera:
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Onion & garlic: These two vegetables are always included, since they add so much flavor while the other vegetables and herbs change with the seasons. Yellow, white or red onion all work equally well.
- Healthy real food fats: You will also need whipping cream, butter, extra virgin olive oil and grated Parmesan cheese – yes, it’s good to use some real food fat that will keep us satisfied so we don’t raid the cupboard 2 hours later (that’s the joy of real food!).
- Pasta: You can literally use ANY pasta you’d like for this recipe! We’ve been loving using lower carb pasta like Banza (which is the penne pictured above) which also makes this gluten free.
- Italian sausage: While I love the flavor of sausage in this dish (especially the spicy version), it is optional. You can leave it out (which is more traditional for the dish created in the 1970s) or use a different protein.
- Fresh vegetables: This is where you can use up what you have! Use one, two or more different veggies that everyone in your family likes (see seasonal combo ideas below). While you can use frozen vegetables, this is best with fresh.
- Red pepper flakes: (not pictured) I like to add a pinch of this totally optional spice for those of us who like a bit of heat with our pasta.
Vegetables for Pasta Primavera – Seasonal Variations
Here are some vegetable combos by season to inspire you (remember, onion and garlic are always included):
- SUMMER: Red and yellow bell peppers, zucchini or yellow squash, corn, green beans, fresh basil (pictured above).
- FALL: Golden beets, grape tomatoes, Brussels sprouts, thyme.
- WINTER: Cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, turnips, rosemary.
- SPRING: Peas, asparagus, artichokes, carrots, fresh chives.
How to Make Pasta Primavera: Step by Step
Step 1: Cook the pasta. Start the water for the pasta to boil in a large pot, and then cook pasta according to package directions.
Step 2: Brown the meat. While the pasta is cooking, brown the sausage in a deep skillet over medium heat (one that will be able to hold all the ingredients is best).
Step 3: Cook the vegetables. Sauté the onion and garlic with the meat for a minute and then add the firmest vegetables to the pot with the sausage, cooking just until crisp-tender. Add any quicker cooking veggies and cook a 1-2 minutes more.
Step 4: Make the cream sauce. Add the cream and butter and stir until the butter melts and the cream is starting to thicken a bit. Add the cheese and any herbs you’re using. Cook over medium to medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes longer.
Note: This makes a barely thickened sauce that just lightly coats the ingredients – it will not be like a heavy white sauce, but is enough to infuse the dish with so much flavor!
JAMI’S RECIPE TIP:
As you’re chopping the vegetables, separate them into piles of firmer veggies that will take longer to cook, like cauliflower, carrots, and green beans and softer quick cooking varieties like sweet peppers, broccoli, and zucchini. Then it’s easy to start cooking the firmer vegetables before the softer ones.
Step 5: Combine and serve. Drain the pasta water when the pasta is just tender. Mix the vegetable-meat mixture with the pasta and serve with more grated Parmesan cheese.
Storage & Reheating
Storage: Store this in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Reheating: Gently reheat in the microwave for 30 seconds, stir and heat another 30 seconds or until hot. Or use a saucepan over medium-low heat. TIP: add a splash of milk when reheating since storing tends to dry out the pasta.
Freezing: It’s not recommended to freeze pasta dishes, as the pasta tends to disintegrate when thawed.
Recipe Variations
Here are some ideas to make this dish your own, using what you have:
- Shrimp Pasta Primavera: Omit sausage and use peeled shrimp, waiting to add along with the soft vegetables (if raw), or with the cream and butter (if cooked).
- Chicken Pasta Primavera: Omit sausage and cook raw chicken until browned before following the remainder of the recipe (or add fully cooked chicken when adding the cream and butter).
- Pesto Pasta Primavera: Add a 1/4 to 1/2 cup of prepared pesto to the sauce along with the cream and butter.
- Vegetarian Pasta Primavera: In the classic rendering of this recipe, omit any meat or seafood.
- Penne Pasta Primavera: Specifically use penne pasta (like shown here) to create this version.
- Spaghetti Squash Pasta Primavera: Cook a spaghetti squash separately, scrape out the squash threads and add to the meat-veggie mixture right before serving (don’t cook it any more to avoid over cooking the squash).
Your Questions Answered
This is a true one-dish dinner that you don’t need any side dishes for, but if you are wanting one, I’d go with one of these salads: Orange Almond Salad with Orange-Balsamic Vinaigrette, Kale Cranberry Salad Recipe with Feta & Pecans, or Classic Caesar Salad Dressing Recipe.
Yes! If you don’t have heavy whipping cream on hand you can sprinkle 2 tablespoons of flour over the sautéed vegetables, stirring for about a minute and then slowly pour in 2 cups of milk. Stir and cook until thickened.
Use a chickpea or lentil based pasta to lower the carbs and up the protein in this recipe. Or use the spaghetti squash variation. Bonus – these options also keep it gluten free!
More Easy One Dish Dinners To Try
- Roasted Sausages with Peppers and Onions Sheet Pan Dinner
- 20 Minute Mediterranean Chicken Pesto Pasta Recipe
- Chicken-Spinach Frittata with Feta & Tomatoes
Best Comments
“I stumbled across your website, right now I don’t remember how, and this was the first recipe I tried. It is VERY DELICIOUS! Definitely a keeper for us.” -Claudia
“I made this for dinner tonight since we’re overrun with zucchini, squash, and green beans at the moment and it was delicious!” -Erin
I hope you love this pasta primavera recipe! If you make it, be sure to leave a recipe rating so I know how you liked it!
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30 Minute Pasta Primavera Recipe with Italian Sausage
Ingredients
- 3/4 pound pasta*
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 4 to 6 cups vegetables of choice, chopped and diced** (green beans, broccoli, peppers, carrots, etc.)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs basil, chives, thyme OR 2 teaspoons dried
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream***
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese grated, plus more for garnish
- pinch red pepper flakes, optional
Instructions
- Cook pasta in a large pot according to package directions, about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, brown sausage in olive oil. Add garlic and onion and cook a few minutes.
- Add other vegetables according to the amount of time needed to cook (for example, green beans and carrots need more time than peppers and broccoli), sautéing with the meat for a few minutes each. If using dry herbs, add at this point.
- Add the butter and whipping cream, and stir over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes.
- Drain pasta when done and keep warm.
- Add the fresh herbs, if using, and the 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese. Continue to cook until the sauce thickens somewhat, about 5 minutes
- Mix the sauce with the pasta (in either the pasta pot or vegetable sauce pot, depending which is bigger) and serve in the pot or transfer to a large bowl or platter. Top with more grated Parmesan cheese before serving.
Notes
- SUMMER: Red and yellow sweet peppers, zucchini or yellow squash, corn, green beans, fresh basil.
- FALL: Golden beets, tomatoes, Brussels sprouts, thyme.
- WINTER: Cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, turnips, rosemary.
- SPRING: Peas, asparagus, artichokes, carrots, fresh chives.
Nutrition
This recipe has been updated – it was originally published in October of 2009 and previously updated in 2020.
Haven’t made it yet…but when I printed it I was able to size down to 4 servings which is just 1/2 lb of sausage and will be easy to divide a package and then freeze for another time. The other ingredients I will just eyeball but it’s a plus when meat or eggs are easy to use in a reduced size recipe. Won’t be long before the Spring veggies are available locally. Yum!
Great idea, Dee – I hope you enjoy this!
Hi, Jami!
I stumbled across your website, right now I don’t remember how, and this was the first recipe I tried. It is VERY DELICIOUS! Definitely a keeper for us. Also have been browsing your articles and recipes and finding so many interesting things. So many doable DIYs and very many mouth watering recipes I can’t wait to try. I love the monthly meal plans since I work and don’t have to think about “what am I going to fix tonight.” Thank you so much!
Oh, I’m so glad to read this, Claudia, especially that the menus are helpful! Thank you for taking the time to write. 🙂
Hi Jami,
I made this for dinner tonight since we’re overrun with zucchini, squash, and green beans at the moment and it was delicious! My husband is the real cook in the family and inevitably when I cook, it’s a little bit of a let-down. 🙂 Not the case with this dish!
Thanks for sharing!
Erin
Carolina Country Living
This looks delicious!
Ah this is one of our favorite dishes too. I make the sauce a bit different though. Once I have saute’d the veggies, I sprinkle a bit of flour over the top and cook it with the vegetables a bit. Then I add 2 cups of what ever kind of milk I have on hand, and cook until it thickens.
I am not opposed to the cream, I just usually don’t have it around, and this is one of my favorite end of the week meals where I can toss in what ever vegetable odds and ends I have left. I call it “Clean out the fridge pasta”. Sounds delicious doesn’t it? 🙂