What’s that? You’re craving pasta but also want some veggies and protein? Well, you’ve made it to the right recipe. This easy Vegan Pasta Primavera has all the comforting goodness you love about pasta, plus plenty of versatile veggies and protein-packed chickpeas!
It’s simple, savory, optionally gluten-free, and a delicious way to use up any veggies you have lingering around (who, us?). With just 10 ingredients required, we can’t wait for you to give it a try. Let’s make pasta!
What is Pasta Primavera?
Pasta primavera is a dish that consists of pasta and fresh vegetables. The stories of who invented it are varied, but all are centered around New York City. In 1977, it became famous when included as a recipe in The New York Times.
While pasta primavera commonly includes cheese or butter, the following is our plant-based take on the delicious concept!
How to Make Vegan Pasta Primavera
This recipe starts with chopping veggies into bite-sized pieces. We recommend red onion and cherry tomatoes as the essentials for natural sweetness, but the rest of the veggies are flexible. For a rainbow of colors and textures, we went with asparagus, zucchini, yellow bell pepper, and eggplant.
For nearly effortless protein, we include chickpeas on the same sheet pan as the veggies. Season it all simply with oil, salt, and pepper and pop that tray in the oven.
After roasting, the cherry tomatoes shrivel slightly, concentrating their sweetness, the chickpeas become a little firm, and the remaining veggies are tender and golden brown.
Cook up your choice of pasta, reserving some pasta water to contribute a subtle creaminess to the dish. Next, we sauté lemon zest and garlic until fragrant, then add in vegan parmesan cheese, the reserved pasta water, and the cooked pasta.
Lastly, we incorporate the roasted veggies and garnish with more vegan parmesan, fresh basil, and red pepper flakes to complete this colorful, comforting dish.
We hope you LOVE this vegan pasta primavera! It’s:
Savory
Bright
Zesty
Versatile
Satisfying
& SO easy!
This meal is plenty filling on its own but would also pair beautifully with our Lemony Arugula Salad with Crispy Shallot, BEST Vegan Garlic Bread, or Heirloom Tomato Panzanella Salad.
More Plant-Based Pasta Recipes
- Creamy Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff (GF Optional)
- Roasted Broccoli Pasta Salad with Hemp Pesto (V/GF)
- Creamy Vegan Pink Pasta (30 Minutes!)
- Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta (Vegan + GF)
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Vegan Pasta Primavera with Roasted Veggies
Ingredients
- 1 cup red onion, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes (or other small tomatoes)
- 6 cups fresh veggies of choice, cut into bite-sized pieces (such as asparagus, eggplant, bell pepper, zucchini, broccoli, carrots, or snap peas)
- 1 (15-oz.) can chickpeas, drained (or ~1 ½ cups homemade)
- 3 Tbsp avocado or olive oil (DIVIDED)
- 1/2 tsp each sea salt and black pepper (DIVIDED)
- 12 oz. dry pasta of choice (gluten-free as needed // we like Jovial Farfalle or Penne)
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1/4 cup Vegan Parmesan Cheese (or store-bought)
FOR SERVING optional
- Vegan Parmesan Cheese
- Fresh basil
- Red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 F (218 C) and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Divide the onion, tomatoes, fresh veggies (cut into bite-sized pieces), and chickpeas between the baking sheets. Add 1 Tbsp oil, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper to each baking sheet. Mix well to evenly coat the vegetables. Roast in the oven for 18-23 minutes, or until everything is slightly browned and the tomato peels are just breaking.
- While the veggies roast, bring 3 quarts (2.8 liters) of salted water to a boil in a large pot and cook pasta according to the package instructions. Reserve ~1 cup (240 ml) of pasta water before draining the pasta.
- Use your now-empty pot to finish the pasta. Add the remaining 1 Tbsp oil along with the garlic and lemon zest. Sauté on low until lightly sizzling and fragrant. Turn off the heat and add the drained pasta back into the pot along with the vegan parmesan cheese and ~1/2 cup (120 ml) of the pasta water. Mix well until the pasta is glossy and well coated, adding more pasta water as needed until you reach your desired saucy consistency.
- Add the roasted veggies to the pasta and stir. Taste and adjust as needed, adding more vegan parmesan for cheesiness/saltiness, more pasta water for sauciness, or more pepper for kick! Serve immediately as is, or garnish with fresh basil, vegan parmesan cheese, and/or red pepper flakes (all optional).
- Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until hot, adding a splash of water if it appears dry. Not freezer friendly.
Video
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with 2 cups each eggplant, asparagus, and bell pepper and without optional ingredients.
Sandra says
This was tasty and really simple. I had my doubts on the sauce, but there was an ample amount, and it had good flavor. We are not chickpea fans, so those were omitted. Thanks for a great way to use the veggies we had left in the refrigerator from other meals this week!
We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe and that it worked well with what was left in your refrigerator. Thank you for sharing, Sandra! xo
Talya says
Have people tried this cold? Feel like it would taste good! Thinking of making it ahead for dinner tonight, or should I wait so it’s hot?
Hi Talya, it would still be tasty, though we do prefer roasted veggies when freshly made!
Justine Anderson says
This recipe has been a hit every time I have made it. It was perfect during the summer when the summer veggies were in season and it was perfect tonight when I roasted broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and red bell pepper along with the onion and tomatoes and chickpeas. My husband went on and on tonight about how I should make this more frequently so I thought I should take the time to review this winner of a truly simple and delicious recipe where you don’t actually need to measure anything. So good!!!!
We’re so glad you and your husband both love the recipe, Justine! Thank you for the wonderful review! xo
Joanne says
This pasta primavera recipe is so good! It’s one of my new favorites. I don’t eat nutritional yeast, so I make my own variation by swapping dried mushrooms and Bell’s seasoning.
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Joanne! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xo
Steph says
Really good! We had friends over and they loved it. ❤️ So did we 😋
Yay! So glad everyone enjoyed it, Steph. Thank you for sharing! xo
Ixa says
Omg, artichoke hearts, too, that I had in the freezer. LOLZ – so many summer veggies. Most from the farmers market.
Ixa says
Out of this world!!! I used tofu instead of chickpeas. I also added a little leftover oil-free vegan pesto. I roasted eggplant, mushroom, zucchini, tofu, yellow squash, tomatoes, bell peppers, red onion, & garlic. It was incredibly delicious. This is the first time I’ve ever commented on a recipe. Just. Thank. You.
Love your swaps and are so glad you enjoyed it, Ixa! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review! xoxo
Lauren says
This was very tasty! I omitted the chickpeas and used a high protein pasta. For the veggies I used pumpkin, capsicum, zucchini and mushrooms plus the tomatoes and red onion. I feel this will become a staple meal in our house. Many thanks for another great vegan recipe x
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Lauren! Thanks so much for the lovely review. xo
Hamamelis says
This was a big big hit at our dinner table (of 2). My husband kept saying how much he liked it. He didn’t add any grated cheese which he would normally do, as he loves Minimalist Baker vegan parmesan! The chickpeas really fit in this recipe.
We had some left over which we used cold the next day in a salad. Yum!
Woohoo! We’re so happy to hear you both enjoyed this recipe, Hamamelis. Thanks for the great review!
Linda C says
This recipe is a keeper and being added to our summer meal rotation. My husband thought it was sooo good, as did I. I used asparagus, zucchini, carrots and broccoli for the 6 cups of veggies. I also used the entire 8oz of pasta water. IT WAS SOOO GOOD! Thank you for this fantastic recipe.
We’re so glad you both enjoyed it, Linda! Thank you for the wonderful review! xo
Jen Beddia says
Hi! Was deciding between this and your Creamy Vegan White Pasta with Summer Vegetables as a side for our BBQ this weekend. Which is better at room temperature and as a side?
Ooo good question! We’d say this one is better at room temperature. Hope you love it!
Michelle Evans says
Turned out great! Very easy to make. The most time intensive part was chopping up the veggies. I used mushrooms, some zucchini and bell peppers. I didn’t have any cherry tomatoes so just used 2 cups roughly chopped roma tomatoes. Added a little squeeze of lemon juice too at the end. Will definitely make again with a different mix of veggies!
Woohoo! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Michelle! So glad you enjoyed!
Rosie says
I’ve made this pretty much every week since you posted the recipe! I’ve used all different veggies and different pastas (red lentil, buckwheat, wholemeal) and it’s been brilliant every time! So many of your recipes I make time and time again and we always love them, so thank you!!
Hails! says
Yummy! My partner and I double-teamed this recipe on a Monday night when we both didn’t feel like cooking at all. This recipe is perfect for one of those nights! We used the veggies we had on hand, which were yellow squash, green beans, red onion, chick peas, and large lima beans. Before roasting them, we seasoned them with za’tar, garlic and onion powder, salt and pepper. We didn’t have any parm on hand so we used a combo of feta and nutritional yeast. This is such a great versatile pasta, we’ll definitely be eating it again and again.
Amazing! Love your modifications too. Thank you for sharing! xo
Raquel says
Dana – this was so great! I was really craving a veggie heavy meal after vacation and this fit the bill. I used two zucchini, a large crown of broccoli, two handfuls of sliced baby carrots and a red bell pepper in addition to the onion, tomatoes and fresh basil. It was very flavorful and the lemon zest totally made the dish. I am a veg head but my carnivore husband had steak with it and it went perfectly. Thanks for the recipe.
We’re so glad you both enjoyed it, Raquel! Thank you for sharing! xo
Sabrina says
This recipe was so easy to make and really delicious. I will definitely be making it again.
Yay! Thank you for sharing, Sabrina! xo
Bre says
I made this for dinner tonight, and it exceeded my expectations! This is the best pasta primavera I’ve ever had, and I can’t wait to make it again. Even better was how simple and quick it was to make. Thanks for another great recipe!
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Bre. Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Wendy says
We thought this recipe was delicious! The roasted cherry tomatoes Yum! I made the vegan Parmesan too. The gluten free pasta I cooked seems to expand a lot so next time I will cook less ounces of pasta so it will be more in proportion to the veggies. Very easy to put together and we loved the lemony zing from the zest.😀
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe, Wendy. Thank you for the lovely review!
Sara says
Great recipe! I love how easy and versatile this is. My vegetables were: zucchini, red bell pepper, asparagus, broccoli, and a cup of frozen mixed vegetables, as well as the onion and cherry tomatoes. I added lemon pepper before roasting because I thought that would complement the lemon zest in the sauce. I also added maybe 1/4 cup of leftover crushed tomatoes to the sauce, and it worked very well. I used tri-color rotini for the pasta. Simple, vegan, and delicious! Thank you!
Amazing! Love your creativity with the recipe, Sara! Thank you so much for sharing! xo