As you might as well know, I love the Pioneer Woman. And her recipes. Dearly. I also have a ridiculous love affair going on with all things pasta related (or more so Italian food related), so this recipe is right up my ally.

Pasta Primavera

Ingredients:

• 1 cup bite-size broccoli pieces
• 1/2 an onion, diced
• 3 to 4 cloves of garlic, chopped finely
• 2 whole medium to large carrots, sliced on the bias (diagonally)
• 2 whole medium zucchini, sliced on the bias
• 1 whole medium yellow squash, sliced
• 1 container of mushrooms, roughly sliced
• 1 whole red bell pepper, sliced
• 4 tablespoons of butter
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 pound pasta (the recipe uses penne, but you can use any kind of pasta)
• For the Sauce
• 1/4 cup dry white wine (optional, but bump the chicken broth up to replace the wine)
• 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup half and half
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 5 leaves of basil, plus extra for garnish
• 1/2 cup of frozen peas

Directions:

1. Prep all your veggies (except peas). The key to keeping the veggies crisp and not mushy is to cook them in batches, so it might help to keep them in separate piles.
2. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of butter with your 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic together and cook until the begin to turn translucent, then throw in the broccoli. Give it a good stir and add in the carrots.  Cook for about a minute, mostly to just warm up the veggies and coat them in the butter/olive oil/garlic & onion mixture. Transfer to a plate
3. Next add the red peppers to the skillet and cook them for less than a minute, stirring them often to prevent burning. Transfer to the plate when done.
4. Cook pasta until al dente, drain and set aside.
5. Add a tablespoon of butter to your skillet and cook zucchini and squash, less than a minute and remove to your veggie plate. Next, add mushrooms and cook for a minute or two, adding salt to taste. Remove to the plate with all the veggies on it.
6. Sauce time! Pour 1/4 cup white wine* into skillet. Add 1/2 cup of chicken broth, a tablespoon of butter, and stir together, making sure to scrap the bottom of the pan. Cook for one to two minutes, until liquid begins to thicken.
7. Add in the heavy cream and the half & half. Pour in 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Chiffonade basil leaves (roll into a ball and then slice to create strips) and add to sauce. Stir .
8. Dump in your veggies as well as the peas straight from the freezer. Add in pasta and mix together. If the sauce is looking too thick or that there might not be enough, add in a little more half & half and chicken broth.
9. Once everything is coated and heat through, serve with additional basil, parmesan, and salt & pepper.

*If you choose to forgo the white wine, replace it with additional chicken broth. Just be careful of the salt later in the recipe.

What’s so good about this recipe is that it is VERY versatile. You can add almost any veggie you might want, as well as take out anything you think you might not want. You can also add in chicken, to give it a little more oomph!

This could be a great meal to make on a weekend and individually package out for your lunch during the week. You could make the base pasta, and then add in what ever veggies or meat you’d like to give it a little variety throughout the week!

For the printable version of the recipe and to peruse PW’s other tasty offerings, click here!