Vegetarian Pasta with Spring Vegetables and Herbs
Colorful pasta cones tossed with a medley of finely chopped fresh vegetables including celery, carrots, fennel, peppers, courgette, asparagus, and artichoke hearts. Sautéed in buttery spread with white wine and finished with fresh mint, basil, and lemon juice. A light, vegetable-forward dish with vibrant flavors and textures.
Ingredients
- 1 lb multi-coloured pasta cones, or farfalle
- 8 ½ tbsp buttery spread, Bertolli brandbutter1:1dairy
Bertolli is butter alternative
- buttery spread, extra knob, added at endbutter1:1dairy
Bertolli is butter alternative
- 2 oz onion, finely chopped
- ½ red chilli, finely chopped(optional)
- 2 oz celery, finely chopped
- 2 oz carrots, finely chopped
- 2 oz fennel, finely chopped
- 2 oz fresh peas, podded weightfrozen peas60 gramsconvenience
texture may be softer
- 2 oz red peppers, finely chopped
- 2 oz zucchini, finely chopped
- 2 oz asparagus tips, finely chopped
- 2 fresh artichoke hearts, in water, finely chopped
- 2 oz beef tomatoes, deseeded and finely choppedcanned diced tomatoes60 grams drained weightconvenience
may add liquid
- 2 tbsp white wine
- salt, to taste
- fresh mint, handful, finely chopped
- fresh basil, handful, finely chopped
- 1 lemon, juice only
- Parmesan, grated, to serve
Instructions
- 1
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to boil and cook the pasta until al dente.
- 2
Meanwhile, melt buttery spread in a large frying pan over medium heat and add onion, chilli, celery, carrot, and fennel. Sweat for one minute.
- 3
Add peppers, zucchini, asparagus, and artichokes, and continue to sweat for another minute. Season with salt.
- 4
Pour in white wine and a ladleful of hot water, then cook for a couple of minutes.
- 5
Drain the pasta and add to the vegetables. Stir in tomato, mint, and basil.
- 6
Add lemon juice and another knob of buttery spread, then toss well. Remove from heat.
- 7
Serve with grated Parmesan if desired.
Tips
Use pasta water for cooking the vegetables to build flavor and help sauce cling to pasta.
Finely chop all vegetables to similar sizes for even cooking and consistent texture in each bite.
Good to Know
Refrigerate leftover pasta in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on stovetop with a splash of water or broth.
Chop all vegetables in advance and store in separate containers. Cook pasta and prepare vegetables just before serving for best texture.
Serve immediately while warm. Offer grated Parmesan at the table for guests to customize.
Common Mistakes
Do not overcook pasta; al dente (2-3 minutes) prevents mushiness when tossed with vegetables.
Do not skip the lemon juice; it brightens the dish and prevents it from tasting flat.
Do not chop herbs until just before adding to avoid browning and loss of fresh flavor.
Substitutions
Dairy-Free Swaps
General Alternatives
source lists both options
may add liquid