Light and Easy Spring Pasta

Loaded with vegetables, a delicious sauce and perfectly al dente noodles, this light and easy Spring pasta is the perfect quick dinner!

Much to my husband’s demise, we really don’t eat a lot of pasta at my house. Sometimes we will eat some stovetop mac and cheese or if we are in a pinch, Annie’s boxed mac (don’t judge), but it’s rare that I go all out to make a rich pasta dish. If I’m being honest, it’s because sometimes pasta can still be a pretty big “trigger” food for me. If i’m not careful in my thoughts, I can easily judge myself or feel guilty for eating pasta. HOWEVER, I’m glad to tell you that I didn’t feel one ounce of guilt while eating this Light And Easy Spring Pasta! Cheers!

So, this spring pasta is loaded with veggies like: fresh garlic, zucchini, burst cherry tomatoes, and raw brussel sprouts (sounds weird but trust me go with it!). The zucchini is juicy and doesn’t get overcooked and mushy like some squash can. It retains a perfect texture and flavor. Meanwhile, you got the cherry tomatoes over here just popping in your mouth with a sweetness that is unmatched in  flavor. Have I told you that last summer was FINALLY the year that my taste buds changed and I like tomatoes now?! Praise be.

Oh, and those raw brussel sprouts on top? Yeah, call me weird but DANG it’s good. They add a perfect amount of crunch with a slight hint of bitterness in the best way that rounds out perfectly when you combine it with all of the other elements of the dish.

Now, y’all know I love me some dairy! And I’m not claiming the sauce in this pasta is dairy-free, but it’s definitely not my usual alfredo status. It’s light, refreshing and perfect! The noodles are buttery and melt in your mouth good. The starchy pasta water combined with freshly grated parmesan emulsifies into the most delicious sauce you could ever want!

Top with lemon, more shredded parmesan and red pepper flakes and the dish is a perfect light spring dinner perfect to be paired with a crisp white wine! Let’s get into how to make it!

Ingredients you Need:

• angel hair pasta
• block of fresh parmesan (I really recommend you get the fresh stuff and not the stuff in the green plastic can at the grocery store)
• cherry tomatoes
• zucchini
• brussel sprouts
• garlic
• butter
• lemon
• salt + pepper

How to Make Light and Easy Spring Pasta:

Begin by boiling a big pot of water. Add a large pinch of salt to it, because, as Samin Norsat says in her book Salt Fat Acid Heat, you want the pasta water to be as salty as the sea.

First, it’s best to go ahead and grate your parmesan cheese. You’ll need ⅓ cup. Set this aside. It’s also best to get your brussels ready. Cut off the stems and using a very sharp nice, thinly slice them until they look like shreds. Set these aside as well. Slice your zucchini into fourths aka slice them into a circle, then into a half moon, and then once more. Mince 2 large cloves of garlic.

To a regular skillet, add 1 tbsp of butter on medium heat. Let it melt and then add in your zucchini. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally and then add in tomatoes. Add a dash of salt and pepper for seasoning. Cook for the zucchini and tomatoes for around 2 more minutes and then add in the garlic. Stir around and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Take off the heat and set aside.

Add in your noodles to your boiling water. Boil until al-dente, this shouldn’t take long since the noodles are so thin! It took about 4-5 minutes for me. Once done, save about 1 cup of the pasta water and then drain it otherwise. Remove the zucchini, tomatoes and garlic from the skillet to a plate. Set aside. Add in the pasta noodles directly to the pan. Add about ¼ cup of the starchy pasta water to the sauce as well as ⅓ cup of freshly grated parmesan and lots of cracked black pepper. Using tongs, toss all of this together until it’s luxuriously coated with the sauce. If it’s too dry, add a bit more of the starchy pasta water. 

Now that it’s all coated, add BACK in your vegetables. Add a squeeze of fresh lemon in there. Add a generous helping to a bowl and top with more parm, red pepper flakes and the thinly sliced shredded brussel sprouts!

This pasta dish just truly makes me happy and I hope it does you too! ENJOOOOOY!!!!

Did you enjoy this recipe? Here are some others you might like!

Roasted Garlic Cashew Cream Pasta

Pasta Bolognese

Roasted Spring Veggie Flatbread

Cheesy Pesto Spaghetti Pie

Thank you so much for following along here, friends! Want to see more? Be sure to follow ourbalancedbowl on Instagram and tag me with your photo if you end up making a recipe! You can also post a photo of your recipe to the Our Balanced Bowl Facebook page! Like a recipe that you saw? Follow me on Pinterest here! I always love to see your re-creations! If you do make a recipe, it would make my whole day if you were to rate and comment so I can get your feedback! Lots of love! – Haylie