Pasta Primavera in a Lemon-Butter Sauce ~ Gluten Free

Pasta Primavera in a Lemon-Butter Sauce ~ Gluten Free

What better way to celebrate Spring than making “Pasta Primavera,” a healthy Spring Vegetable & Pasta dish…after all, “primavera” means ‘spring style’ in Italian 😉 I love this easy and very versatile recipe….I use as many veggies that I can find in my refrigerator before they go bad. Asparagus, squash, broccoli, bell peppers, carrots, zucchini, onions, snow peas…the possibilities are endless! And, the light lemony-butter sauce makes this recipe irresistible 🙂
*The original version of this recipe came from evolvingtable.com – thank you SO much for sharing! I have adjusted the original recipe in order to make it gluten-free and allergy-friendly for my family.

The Pasta:

  • 4 Cups Gluten-Free Pasta, dry (any style is fine)

The Vegetables:

  • 1 lb Asparagus (trim ends and cut into 2″ pieces)
  • 1 large Yellow Squash (quartered lengthwise & cut into bite-size pieces)
  • 1 large Zucchini (quartered lengthwise & cut into bite-size pieces)
  • 2 large Bell Peppers, any color (cut into bite-size pieces)
  • 1 large Vidalia Onion (cut into bite-size pieces)
  • 2-3 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1/2-1 tsp Kosher Salt
  • 1/4-1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper
  • 1 tsp Dried Oregano
  • 1/2 tsp Dried Thyme
  • 1/2 tsp Dried Marjoram
  • 1/2 tsp Dried Basil

The Lemon-Butter Sauce:

  • 4 Tbsp Butter, salted ((1/2 stick))
  • 1 Large Lemon (Zest and juice)
  • 1 1/2 tsp Garlic, minced (I use the already-minced Garlic in a jar)
  • 1/2 Cup Water (reserved from the pasta water)
  • 1 Tbsp Dried Basil (or 1/4 Cup fresh, chopped)
  • 1/2-3/4 Cup Parmesan, grated (fresh is best)
  • 1/2-1 tsp Salt (to taste)

The Pasta:

  1. In a large pot, cook the pasta according to the package instructions for al dente; reserve 1/2 cup pasta water for the sauce before draining the rest of the water; set the pasta aside in a colander & keep the large pot available for cooking the sauce, etc.

The Vegetables:

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Line a large baking sheet with foil and lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray; set aside.
  3. While the Pasta is cooking, cut up all of the vegetables into bite-size pieces and place them into a large bowl. *This step can be done ahead of time, if desired (just keep veggies refrigerated until ready to use).
  4. Add the Olive Oil and spices to the vegetables in the bowl and toss to thoroughly coat; spread the veggies evenly onto the prepared baking sheet and bake for 15-18 minutes or until veggies are tender.

The Lemon-Butter Sauce:

  1. Using the same pot that you used to cook the pasta, add the butter, lemon zest, lemon juice and garlic; cook over medium-low heat until the butter is completely melted and the garlic becomes fragrant (about 2 minutes).
  2. Add the cooked Pasta, the reserved Pasta Water and the roasted vegetables to the Lemon-Butter mixture, tossing until thoroughly coated.
  3. Next, add the Basil, 1/2 cup Parmesan and Salt (to taste); toss to combine.
  4. Serve with freshly-grated Parmesan and fresh chopped Basil, if desired.
  5. Oh, so yummy! Enjoy 🙂
Dinner, Lunch, Main Dish
American, Italian



Oven-Roasted Vegetables

Oven-Roasted Vegetables

This recipe is my Go-To for an easy and healthy dish that my entire family loves! I often serve it over Rice, Quinoa or a Baked Potato (Sweet or White) for a warm and hearty meal. This medley of vegetables is very versatile and pairs well with Seafood, Chicken, Turkey, Pork, Beef…just about anything 😉 I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
Note: This recipe was adapted from the South Beach Diet and has been thoroughly enjoyed by my family for almost 20 years 🙂

  • 1 Bunch Asparagus (cut into bite-size pieces)
  • 1-2 Medium Yellow Squash (cut into bite-size pieces)
  • 1-2 Medium Zucchini (cut into bite-size pieces)
  • 1-2 Medium Bell Pepper (I usually use a Red and Orange for the milder taste and the beautiful color; cut into bite-size pieces)
  • 1 Large Vidalia Onion (chopped into bite-size pieces)
  • 1-2 tsp Garlic, chopped ((optional))
  • 3-4 Tbsp olive oil
  • Several Pinches Kosher Salt
  • Several Pinches Ground Black Pepper
  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
  2. In a very large bowl, combine all of the cut Vegetables and Olive Oil; Toss until thoroughly mixed and coated with the Oil.
    Note: add the garlic now if adding
  3. Evenly spread the Vegetable mixture onto a large baking sheet and sprinkle with the Kosher Salt and Pepper to taste.
  4. Bake for 30-45 minutes on the center rack until tender, stirring several times during the roasting process to cook evenly.
  5. Serve over Rice, Quinoa, Couscous, Pasta, Baked Potato…or as a Side Dish for your favorite protein. We often pair with Salmon and it’s delicious!!!
Dinner, Lunch, Main Dish, Salads, Side Dish