This easy vegan pasta primavera is a staple in my house!  It’s so simple and delicious, it’s sure to be a family favorite for you as well.  Pasta primavera is one of those easy recipes that everyone needs to have on hand to whip up a quick delicious meal with minimal ingredients.

A bowl filled with gluten free vegan pasta primavera made with carrots, peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, and tomatoes.

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Vegan pasta primavera works well with fresh or frozen veggies or even a mix of the two.  Just toss in whatever veggies you have and with a few simple spices, for a gourmet-tasting meal.

❤️ Why you’ll love this recipe

  • It’s quick and easy! You can make it in less than 20 minutes!
  • It’s vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free, so everyone can enjoy it.
  • There are no weird ingredients!
  • You can add any veggies that you have on hand.
  • It works great with frozen vegetables too!

What is pasta primavera sauce?

I assumed that pasta primavera was a classic Italian pasta dish, hundreds of years old, but surprisingly, it’s a dish created in the 1970s by a chef from Manhattan.  It was made famous when a New York Times article was written about this new dish being served in his restaurant.

Pasta primavera is simply lightly cooked veggies in some oil or butter then tossed with pasta.  It’s a basic dish that everyone should know how to make.  It’s great for using the vegetables that you have laying around and best of all, it’s healthy and delicious.

A bowl filled with pasta primavera made with carrots, peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, and tomatoes.

🧾 Ingredients and substitutions 

  • A pot – for boiling the pasta.
  • A large skillet – for sautéing the veggies and tossing in the pasta.
  • Pasta – You can use any type that you like. I usually use penne, rotini, or bow-tie pasta.  Use gluten-free pasta for a gluten-free primavera! See which brands of pasta are vegan.
  • Vegetables – You may use any veggies that you like or have on hand.  Zucchini, summer squash, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, peas, spinach, asparagus, and cherry tomatoes all work well in this dish.  (Vegetables can be fresh or frozen.  I like to use a bag of California medley mixed frozen veggies for a super easy meal).
  • Oil – A nice quality olive oil or vegan butter to lightly fry the veggies and give your pasta a light sauce.
  • Salt and pepper – for flavor. Red pepper flakes also add a little spice to this dish.
  • Basil or Vegan Pesto – For adding some depth of flavor.  This is optional but recommended.  If you don’t like the flavor of basil, you can use fresh parsley instead.

🥄 How to make vegan primavera

  1. Boil water and cook your pasta al dente according to the package directions in a large pot.
  2. Wash and chop chosen veggies while the water is heating.
  3. Add oil to a large skillet and turn the heat on to medium. 
  4. Add veggies and fry them for about 5 -7 minutes over medium heat. (If you are using tomatoes, spinach, or garlic, add these 2 minutes before the end of cooking).
  5. Drain and rinse the cooked pasta and add it to the veggies while still wet.
  6. Stir well and garnish with shredded basil or vegan pesto.
  7. Garnish with fresh basil. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper to taste. Add a squeeze of lemon juice if desired.
A series of 4 pictures showing the process steps of making the pasta primavera including chopping the veggies, sauteing the veggies, adding the pasta and topping with basil.

👩🏻‍🍳 Pro Tips 

  • Add dense vegetables like onions, carrots, cauliflower, and broccoli to the skillet first.
  • Toss in tomatoes, minced garlic, and spinach towards the end of cooking.
  • Lightly cook the vegetables so they are tender, but not mushy.
  • Top with vegan parmesan cheese if desired.
  • Serve either warm or cold.
  • This recipe works well as a cold pasta salad in packed lunches.

🌟 Variations

  1. Make vegan pasta primavera with “chicken”-  Use vegan chicken strips or Butler Soy Curls for a protein-packed meal.  Add any vegan chicken strips to the pan along with your veggies.
  2. Add tofu – Pan fry tofu or make my crispy tofu and set aside.  Follow the recipe for the Primavera and then add the cooked tofu at the end for a more filling meal.
  3. Make creamy vegan pasta primavera – Add 2-3 tbsp of vegan cream cheese and a tbsp of water to the sauce after cooking the veggies for a vegan cream sauce.  (The original pasta primavera recipe served in New York City restaurants used cream cheese in their sauce).

Serve this easy pasta with some delicious vegan minestrone soup or a vegan Ceasar salad for a complete meal. 

A close up of a fork full of easy pasta primavera with broccoli on it.

🥡 Storage

Refrigerate: This vegan pasta primavera will keep well in the refrigerator for 3 – 5 days in an airtight container.

Freeze: Vegan primavera freezes well and can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Reheating: Reheat a serving of the leftover pasta in the microwave for about 3 minutes or add a few tablespoons of water and reheat it in a saucepan on the stovetop until warm.

🍜 More vegan pasta recipes 

📌 Be sure to follow me on Pinterest for new vegan recipes!

📋 Vegan pasta primavera recipe

A bowl of easy vegan pasta primavera with broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, and tomatoes.
5 from 3 rating

Vegan Pasta Primavera

An easy pasta sauce packed with lightly cooked vegetables.

Ingredients

  • 1 16 oz. package pasta of choice, (I use quinoa brown rice for gluten free).
  • 4 cups mixed vegetables of choice, (onions, zucchini, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, mushrooms, and tomatoes all work well).
  • 1/3 cup olive oil, or vegan margarine
  • 1/4 cup fresh chopped basil, or vegan pesto
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, more or less to taste
  • 1 dash pepper

Instructions
 

  • Boil water and cook 16 oz of pasta according to package directions.
  • Wash and chop 4 cups of chosen veggies while water is heating.
  • Add 1/3 cup of oil to skillet and turn on heat to medium.
  • Add veggies and fry them for about 5 -7 minutes over medium heat. (Add the dense veggies like carrots, and cauliflower first, and let cook for a minute or two before adding softer veggies. If you are using tomatoes, spinach or garlic, add these 2 minutes before the end of cooking).
  • Drain and rinse the pasta. Add it to the veggies while still wet.
  • Toss the pasta and veggies. Garnish with shredded basil or vegan pesto, and vegan Parmesan if you choose.
  • Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

Notes

Variations: 
  • Make vegan pasta primavera with “chicken”-  Use vegan chicken strips or Bulter soy curls for a protein-packed meal.  Add any vegan chicken strip to the pan along with your veggies.
  • Add tofu – Pan fry tofu or make my crispy tofu and set aside.  Follow the recipe for the Primavera and then add the cooked tofu at the end for a more filling meal.
  • Make it creamy – Add 2-3 tbsp of vegan cream cheese and a tbsp of water to the sauce after cooking the veggies for an extra cream vegan primavera.  (The original pasta primavera recipe served in New York City restaurants used cream cheese in their sauce).
Tips:
  • Add dense vegetables like onions, carrots, cauliflower, and broccoli to the skillet first.
  • Toss in tomatoes, minced garlic, and spinach towards the end of cooking.
  • Lightly cook the vegetables so they are tender, but not mushy.
  • Mix in some vegan pesto for an extra burst of flavor. 
  • Top with vegan parmesan cheese if desired.
  • Serve either warm or cold.
  • This recipe works well as a cold pasta salad in packed lunches.
Serving: 1.5cups, Calories: 348kcal, Carbohydrates: 54g, Protein: 10g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 191mg, Potassium: 319mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 4660IU, Vitamin C: 9.6mg, Calcium: 36mg, Iron: 1.7mg
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