Light & Healthy Summer Pasta Primavera Recipe

Some pasta primaveras are made with heavy cream sauces - which are their own kind of tasty but definitely heavy on the calories. This dish is a much lighter pasta primavera and is chock full of veggies. The veggie to pasta ratio is almost 1:1. It is light and tasty and a great way to use your garden bounty for dinner!

Ingredients 

• Thin spaghetti noodles (about 8 ounces)
• Medium-Large zucchini
• Medium yellow squash
• Small yellow salad tomatoes (about 1.5 cups)
• Roma tomatoes (about 6)
• EVOO (about 3 Tbsp)
• Garlic cloves (about 3)
• Fresh herbs (about a half cup loosely packed garden herbs. I like basil, oregano and sage)
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Parmesan cheese for garnish

Special Tools: You will also need a Julienne Peeler and a Garlic Press. These are the ones I use and I love them!

Yield: About 6 main course servings

Directions

Step 1: Set a pot of salted water on to boil. While waiting for the water to boil, prepare the vegetables.

Step 2: Use the julienne peeler to cut thin strips from the surface of both the zucchini and the summer squash. I usually go about 4 passes deep before rotating. Set the peeled squash aside for a different use (here are some ideas).

Step 3: Cut the salad tomatoes in halves or quarters depending on size. Halve and seed roma tomatoes before dicing shells (save the seeds and pulp for tomato sauce).

Step 4: By now your water should be boiling. Go ahead and add your pasta to the water. Refer to the package for proper al dente cooking time. (usually about 5 minutes). While your pasta is cooking, heat the EVOO in a large skillet. Press your garlic cloves into the oil and saute about 3 minutes. Roughly dice or snip with scissors your herbs. Saute with the garlic until just wilted.

Step 5: Drain pasta and add to the skillet with the garlic, herbs and oil. Drizzle the juice of one lemon over the top. Toss to coat. 

Step 6: Add zucchini and squash strips and dice tomatoes. Continue tossing while cooking on medium low heat until the zucchini is warm and pliable.

Step 7: Serve warm topped with grated Parmesan cheese for garnish.

Light & Healthy Summer Pasta Primavera

Yield: 6

Author: Carissa B for Creative Green Living

Prep time: 25 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 55 Min

Some pasta primaveras are made with heavy cream sauces - which are their own kind of tasty but definitely heavy on the calories. This dish is a much lighter pasta primavera and is chock full of veggies. The veggie to pasta ratio is almost 1:1. It is light and tasty and a great way to use your garden bounty for dinner!

Ingredients

• Thin spaghetti noodles (about 8 ounces)
• Medium-Large zucchini
• Medium yellow squash
• Small yellow salad tomatoes (about 1.5 cups)
• Roma tomatoes (about 6)
• EVOO (about 3 Tbsp)
• Garlic cloves (about 3)
• Fresh herbs (about a half cup loosely packed garden herbs. I like basil, oregano and sage)
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Parmesan cheese for garnish

Special tools

• Julienne Peeler
• Garlic Press

Instructions

1. Set a pot of salted water on to boil. While waiting for the water to boil, prepare the vegetables.
2. Use the julienne peeler to cut thin strips from the surface of both the zucchini and the summer squash. Set the peeled squash aside for a different use
3. Cut the salad tomatoes in halves or quarters depending on size. Halve and seed roma tomatoes before dicing shells (save the seeds and pulp for tomato sauce).
4. By now your water should be boiling. Go ahead and add your pasta to the water. Refer to the package for proper al dente cooking time. 
5. While your pasta is cooking, heat the EVOO in a large skillet. Press your garlic cloves into the oil and saute about 3 minutes. Roughly dice or snip with scissors your herbs. Saute with the garlic until just wilted.
6. Drain pasta and add to the skillet with the garlic, herbs and oil. Drizzle the juice of one lemon over the top. Toss to coat.
7. Add zucchini and squash strips and dice tomatoes. Continue tossing while cooking on medium low heat until the zucchini is warm and pliable.
8. Serve warm topped with grated Parmesan cheese for garnish

Notes:

Get more help, including step-by-step photos, on the Creative Green Living website.

Recommended Products:

Julienne Peeler

Garlic Press

Skillet

Nutrition Facts

Calories

119.39

Fat (grams)

6.65

Sat. Fat (grams)

1.04

Carbs (grams)

13.34

Fiber (grams)

1.94

Net carbs

11.40

Sugar (grams)

3.86

Protein (grams)

2.95

Sodium (milligrams)

30.11

Cholesterol (grams)

0.72

https://www.creativegreenliving.com/2013/09/light-healthy-summer-pasta-primavera.html

Copyright, 2013, Creative Green Living.

pasta, fresh, healthy, vegetables, cooking

main dish

italian

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About the Author:

Carissa B is a cookbook author and busy mom of two creative boys. The owner and lead writer at Creative Green Living, she has won multiple awards for her work on Creative Green Living including the "Best Green Lifestyle Blogger" award in 2019 from ShiftCon.

She is the author of the hardcover cookbook, Beautiful Smoothie Bowls, as well as the backyard chicken keeping guide: Proven Techniques for Keeping Healthy Chickens. Her recipes have been featured in Urban Farm Magazine and in several cookbooks where she was a contributing author. Follow her on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter or join the Creative Green Living Tribe on Facebook.

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