This comforting Veggie Pasta dish combines your favorite seasonal veggies with pasta in a simple tomato sauce, infusing a bright flavor into each bite. It's fast enough to make any night of the week, yet so flavorful you'll want to serve it at your next dinner party. Grate some Parmesan on top, and dinner is served!
When you need a quick and easy dinner, sometimes you end up skimping out on veggies. Not with this recipe! This simple bowtie pasta dish is the best of all worlds: it's super quick to make, uses ingredients you probably have on hand, and has tons of vegetables. Turn it into a hearty main meal by adding cannellini beans, grilled chicken, or Italian sausage. Don't forget a hunk of crusty bread to sop up the sauce!
Why You'll Love This Veggie Pasta
- Ready in 30 minutes. Start the timer! You'll be ready to satisfy your pasta cravings in no more than 30 minutes, including the time it takes to cook all those fresh veggies, make the sauce, and simmer everything together. It's seriously fast!
- Vegetarian-friendly. Although you can serve this pasta with meat if you prefer, it's a fantastic vegetarian pasta dish. Serve it on Meatless Monday or as a veggie-friendly option at your next pasta night.
- Loaded with veggies. When I say veggie pasta, I mean it! There are 7 types of vegetables in this recipe, each of which adds a different texture and flavor. I love how the sweetness of the carrot plays with the brightness of the tomato sauce, and the mushrooms take on a meaty texture that makes the whole dish more satisfying. It's a celebration of the summer's finest and the easiest way to add more veggies to your plate!
Ingredient Notes
To make this delicious Veggie Pasta, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):
- pasta - we use bowtie pasta (farfalle pasta) but feel free to choose any type of pasta shape and type that you prefer, including whole-grain pasta or gluten-free pasta.
- extra virgin olive oil
- veggies - we use a variety of vegetables including white button mushrooms, garlic, red onion, carrot, red bell pepper, broccoli, and cherry tomatoes.
- tomato sauce - this is regular canned tomato sauce, although you can use marinara sauce instead for a more robust flavor.
- seasonings - use a mixture of Italian seasoning blend, salt, and black pepper.
- Parmesan cheese - use for garnish. To make this recipe vegan, then use non-dairy Parmesan or leave out the cheese.
You will also need measuring cups and spoons, a large pot, strainer, large skillet with a lid, and a serving spoon.
How to Make the Best Veggie Pasta
- Cook pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add penne pasta and cook until al dente (fully cooked but still firm), about 8-10 minutes or according to package directions. Drain well and set aside.
- Sauté mushrooms. While the pasta cooks, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the hot oil sizzles, about 1-2 minutes. Add mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Sauté for 5 minutes until golden browned on all sides.
- Cook veggies. Add onion, garlic, carrots, bell pepper, broccoli and tomatoes. Stir well until evenly combined.
- Add sauce and simmer. Add tomato sauce and Italian seasoning. Reduce heat to low and cover the lid. Simmer until all the veggies are tender, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add pasta. Stir in cooked penne pasta and toss well.
- Serve. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and serve warm.
Recipe Variations
- Add protein. Serve this veggie pasta with grilled chicken breast, Italian sausage crumbles, or white beans to make it more filling.
- Make creamy vegetable pasta. Craving something decadent? Add 4-6 oz of cream cheese towards the end of the cooking time and let it melt into the sauce. It will add a tangy flavor and lusciously creamy texture.
- Add a dollop of pesto. Fresh herbs always pair well with pasta. For an extra pop of flavor, add a spoonful of fresh basil pesto to each bowl before serving.
- Spice it up. Add a teaspoon (or more) of crushed red pepper flakes to give the sauce a spicy kick.
How to Serve
This Veggie Pasta is delicious served on its own, or paired with some of my favorite pasta sides including:
- Garlic Breadsticks
- Kale Caesar Salad
- Whipped Ricotta Crostini
- Spinach Salad
- Pull Apart Garlic Bread
- Sautéed Brussels Sprouts
For more recipes, see our 30 Side Dishes for Pasta.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Use your favorite veggies. There are many ways to adapt this recipe. It's great with zucchini, yellow squash, green beans, Swiss chard, kale, spinach, etc. Use whichever seasonal vegetables you prefer.
- Cook the mushrooms first. It's tempting to skip ahead and add all the veggies at once, but it's worth the extra effort to dry out the mushrooms first! They'll make the sauce less watery, take on a meaty texture, and absorb the sauce so much better.
- Play with garnishes. Parmesan is a classic garnish for pasta dishes, but you can also try adding a drizzle of olive oil, goat cheese crumbles, fresh parsley, sliced olives, or even a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
Storing and Freezing Instructions
How to Store
Store leftover pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
How to Reheat
Microwave the leftovers for a few minutes, give them a good stir, and add a little extra cheese on top. You can also warm the leftovers in a skillet with an extra splash of water to loosen the sauce.
FAQ
Pasta can be a great way to serve more veggies, whether that's by making a dish loaded with veggies (like this one), using pasta made out of veggies, or sneaking in some frozen spinach or grated zucchini into your favorite jarred marinara sauce. I like to use a combination of these methods when possible. For this dish, you sauté many different vegetables together before simmering them in a tomato sauce with the cooked pasta. It's an easy way to serve lots of veggies in one sitting, but you can certainly use veggie-based pasta or a sauce made with hidden veggies to add even more veggies to your plate.
Yes, but you'll want to skip the sauté step, or the veggies will overcook. Just warm the roasted vegetables with the tomato sauce until heated through, then add the cooked pasta. Using precooked veggies makes this meal come together even faster, which is so convenient on those busy weeknights!
All vegetables can be paired with pasta in some way or another, but you will want to adjust the sauce and type of pasta depending on the season. For example, this summery veggie pasta uses bell peppers, garlic, onion, mushrooms, carrots, and broccoli, which soak up the flavor of the tomato sauce for a satisfying summer dinner.
In the spring, I like to make this lemony pasta primavera recipe with fresh asparagus, carrots, and more. During the colder months, you'll usually pair hearty vegetables with creamy sauces, like this butternut squash carbonara or this creamy mushroom pasta. There are lots of great pasta recipes to choose from!
More Vegetarian Pasta Recipes
- 40 Best Pasta Recipes
- Farfalle Pasta with Mushroom Rosé Sauce
- Pasta Primavera
- Broccoli Pesto Pasta
- Baked Feta Pasta
- Creamy Tomato Pasta
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Recipe
Veggie Pasta
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This comforting Veggie Pasta dish combines your favorite seasonal veggies with pasta in a simple tomato sauce, infusing a bright flavor into each bite. It's fast enough to make any night of the week, yet so flavorful you'll want to serve it at your next dinner party. Grate some Parmesan on top, and dinner is served!
Ingredients
- 8 ounces pasta, uncooked
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ pound white button mushrooms, thinly sliced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 medium carrot, thinly sliced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 cup broccoli florets
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add penne pasta and cook until al dente (fully cooked but still firm), about 8-10 minutes or according to package directions. Drain well and set aside.
- While pasta is cooking, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the hot oil sizzles, about 1-2 minutes. Add mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Sauté for 5 minutes until golden browned on all sides.
- Add onion, garlic, carrots, bell pepper, broccoli and tomatoes. Stir well until evenly combined.
- Add tomato sauce and Italian seasoning. Reduce heat to low and cover the lid. Simmer until all the veggies are tender, about 2-3 minutes.
- Stir in cooked penne pasta and toss well.
- Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and serve warm.
Notes
How to store: Store leftover pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
How to reheat: Microwave the leftovers for a few minutes, give them a good stir, and add a little extra cheese on top. You can also warm the leftovers in a skillet with an extra splash of water to loosen the sauce.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Catia Valinho says
Really good and tasty