Winter Pasta Primavera
I know most people think of pasta primavera as a summertime meal; it is light, fresh, colorful, and pretty much screams summer. However, I personally think that this meal is just as perfect for the height of winter on a dreary, cold January day. Think about it: pasta is warm, hearty, and comforting (perfect for the cold), you can use fresh winter veggies (or frozen summer ones), and since lemon is one of the main stars of any pasta primavera, it only makes sense that you use it during peak citrus season.
This version that I’ve created is the essential winter weeknight meal. Quick to come together (especially if you can do a little prep and roast the veggies in advance), filling, warm, and so yummy. With the ingredients I used, this version is also actually gluten-free and vegan. As with everything I make however, it’s very easy to change it up for your tastes, needs, or based on what you have on hand.
Recipe notes:
Using roasted vegetables instead of simply sauteing gives this meal a depth of flavor and richness that also feels more “winter” than “summer.” I used a chickpea based pasta for this dish, providing a needed dose of protein and added fiber to make this pasta truly filling, and also gluten-free. Feel free to use the pasta of your choice here, though. Additionally, I used nutritional yeast in place of the more traditional Parmesan cheese that you find in most primavera recipes. This keeps the recipe vegan, but again, feel free to use any cheese of your choice instead.
- 1 box chickpea-based pasta (or any pasta of choice)
- 1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed
- 2-3 carrots, peeled and chopped
- ½ head green cabbage, chopped
- 2 heads broccoli, chopped (or 1 bag frozen broccoli)
- 3 tbsp avocado oil
- Fresh lemon juice (about ¼ lemon per serving)
- Nutritional yeast to taste (about 1 tbsp per serving)
- Fresh herbs of choice to garnish (I used parsley)
- Heat oven to 410°F
- Combine all chopped and prepped vegetables on 1-2 baking sheets
- Toss all vegetables in avocado oil and your spices of choice to taste (I used salt, pepper, garlic powder, turmeric, dried oregano, and dried parsley) coat well
- Roast the vegetables in the 410°F oven for 20-40 minutes, turning once halfway through. Cook until they are slightly browned and crisp on the outside, soft on the inside. *Note: I used a lot of vegetables, so mine took about 40 minutes to cook completely. If your baking sheets aren't as full, it will take less time.
- While the vegetables are roasting, cook pasta according to box directions
- Combine the cooked pasta with the roasted vegetables, and top with lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and fresh herbs of your choice
