Simple Pasta Primavera with Shells: A Flavorful & Wholesome Recipe!

A main dish that is perfect for summer is pasta primavera for a lighter meal with lots of healthy veggies, especially if you have a garden for incorporating them in your cooking. My version of this classic recipe for pasta primavera is delicious and different from others you may have tried with red wine vinegar, seasonings and peanuts for a unique and healthy twist. Therefore, let me share this simple and meatless pasta recipe with you.

Healthy Doesn’t Have to Be Bland: This Pasta Primavera Recipe is Proof!

To begin with, this easy veggie pasta can be adapted to add more of your family’s particular favorite vegetables as well, depending on what you have on hand.

Secondly, my veggie pasta primavera uses peanuts as a protein. However, if you or someone if your family is allergic to them, you may want to totally avoid nuts or replace them with sunflower seeds.

If peanuts are no problem, you can also experiment with some chopped walnuts, slivered almonds or cashews as the source of protein or increase the protein with one-fourth cup.

Instead of a creamy sauce, this recipe has just four tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and the juice that the can of diced tomatoes was packed in to gently lubricate the pasta without the heaviness of too much oil.

If you like a slightly thicker sauce, you easily adjust this recipe. Drain the tomatoes and reserve the juice to stir in one teaspoon of cornstarch.

Though this is a sodium-free recipe, the herbs, red wine vinegar and vegetables contribute flavor. If you’re allowed salt in your diet, then add a teaspoon if you like or someone else in family has the option of shaking some on their own plate. But if you are watching sodium levels, this easy veggie pasta recipe has more taste than you may think.

Give this recipe a try the next time that you’re short of ideas for quick vegetarian meals. You also may want to check out my pinto bean curry and my summer harvest vegetarian pasta, which is different.

Why This Flavorful Healthy Pasta Without Salt Is Worth Your Time

1. Ease of Preparation: This is an extremely simple recipe that hardly takes long to prepare.
2. Timesaving Recipe: Making this quick vegetarian recipe takes minutes before it is ready to serve.
3. Easy Way to Sneak in More Veggies: We know how finicky some children can be about eating their vegetables. However, this flavorful pasta without salt is the way to do it without them putting up a fuss.
4. A Great Way to Use What You Grow in Your Garden: You may be growing a garden and have an ample supply of vegetables and want something different to make. This recipe can help solve an abundance of veggies.

How to Make This Veggie Pasta Primavera

2 red peppers, chopped
1 (16 oz.) can of no-salt added diced tomatoes (undrained)
1/3 cup of fresh parsley sprigs
2 tablespoons of red-wine vinegar
4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon of a salt-free spicy seasoning (I use Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle seasoning blend)
1 teaspoon of garlic powder (not garlic salt)
1/3 cup of unsalted peanuts
1 cup of finely chopped onion
6 oz. of frozen cauliflower, chopped into pieces
2 cups (8-oz.) of dried shell pasta
1/3 cup of finely chopped celery
1/3 cup of reserved water from boiling the shells

1. Chop the vegetables first.
2. In your skillet, add the extra virgin olive oil and chopped onion, parsley, celery, frozen cauliflower, and cook until tender.
3. Boil the pasta until cooked and reserve one-third cup of the liquid for the sauce.
4. Combine the undrained diced tomatoes, parsley, red wine vinegar, peanuts, reserved pasta water, and spices and pour over the pasta. Mix thoroughly.
5. Serve with a sprinkling of grated Parmesan or Romano cheese.
6. ENJOY!

My version of this classic recipe for pasta primavera is delicious and different from others you may have tried with red wine vinegar, seasonings and peanuts for a unique and healthy twist.

Course:

Dinner, Main Dish

Cuisine:

American

Keyword:

healthy pasta primavera, low-sodium pasta primavera, meatless pasta recipe, pasta primavera recipe, quick vegetarian meals

Servings: 4

Author: Mary Balandiat

• 2
  red peppers
  chopped
• 1
  16 oz. can of no-salt added diced tomatoes (undrained)
• 1/3
  cup
  of fresh parsley sprigs
• 2
  tablespoons
  of red-wine vinegar
• 4
  tablespoons
  of extra virgin olive oil
• 1
  teaspoon
  of a salt-free spicy seasoning
  I use Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle seasoning blend
• 1
  teaspoon
  of garlic powder
  not garlic salt
• 1/3
  cup
  of unsalted peanuts
• 1
  cup
  of finely chopped onion
• 6
  oz.
  of frozen cauliflower
  chopped into pieces
• 2
  cups
  8-oz. of dried shell pasta
• 1/3
  cup
  of finely chopped celery
• 1/3
  cup
  of reserved water from boiling the shells