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Creamy Parmesan Herb Vegetable Pasta – vegetarian recipe
Stav Kogan

Creamy Parmesan Herb Vegetable Pasta

Craving a restaurant-worthy pasta dish that's ready in a flash? This Creamy Parmesan Herb Vegetable Pasta is your new weeknight hero. It’s packed with vibrant, crisp-tender veggies and tossed in a luscious, savory cheese sauce that comes together in minutes.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 4 serving
Calories: 252
Ingredients Method Nutrition

Ingredients
  

  • 8 ounces (225 g / 7.9 oz) dried multigrain or whole grain penne or mostaccioli
  • 3 cups (720 ml) assorted fresh vegetables, such as red bell pepper strips, sugar snap peas, or 2-inch asparagus pieces
  • 1 cup (150 g / 5.3 oz) cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1⁄2 cup / 120 ml vegetable broth
  • 3 tablespoons (45 ml / 1.5 fl oz) all-purpose flour
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon (10 ml / 0.3 fl oz) salt
  • 1 1⁄4 cups / 300 ml low-fat milk
  • 1⁄4 cup / 60 ml dry sherry or reduced-sodium vegetable broth
  • 3 ounces (85 g / 3 oz) Parmesan or Asiago cheese, finely shredded
  • 1⁄2 cup (480 ml) lightly packed fresh basil, coarsely chopped
  • 4 teaspoons (20 ml / 0.7 fl oz) snipped fresh thyme or oregano
  • 1⁄3 cup / 30 g (1.06 oz) sliced green onions, optional garnish
  • Pair Your Pasta: Use robust shapes like penne, rigatoni, or fusilli that have ridges and holes to capture this creamy sauce perfectly.
  • Veggie Variations: This recipe is incredibly versatile! Feel free to swap in other quick-cooking vegetables like broccoli florets, zucchini coins, or frozen peas. Just add them in the last 2-3 minutes of pasta cooking time.
  • Sauce Savvy: For the smoothest sauce, remove the saucepan from the heat *before* stirring in the Parmesan cheese. This prevents the cheese from overheating and becoming grainy.
  • Herb Power: Fresh herbs make a huge difference here. If you must use dried, use 1 teaspoon (5 ml / 0.2 fl oz) of dried basil and 1/2 teaspoon (10 ml / 0.3 fl oz) of dried thyme, adding them to the saucepan with the milk to allow them to rehydrate and release their flavor.

Method
 

  1. Cook the pasta and vegetables: Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
  2. Cook the pasta according to package directions, adding the 3 cups (720 ml) of assorted fresh vegetables during the final 2 minutes of cooking time.
  3. Drain well, then return the pasta and vegetable mixture to the hot pot.
  4. Add the halved cherry tomatoes, cover the pot, and set aside to keep warm.
  5. Create the creamy sauce: In a medium saucepan, whisk together the vegetable broth, flour, and salt until no lumps remain.
  6. Stir in the milk and dry sherry.
  7. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens and bubbles.
  8. Continue to cook and stir for 2 more minutes.
  9. Remove the pan from the heat.
  10. Finish and serve: Stir the finely shredded Parmesan cheese, chopped basil, and snipped thyme into the sauce until the cheese is melted and smooth.
  11. Pour the sauce over the warm pasta and vegetables.
  12. Toss gently to coat everything evenly.
  13. Serve immediately, sprinkled with sliced green onions if desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 252kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 13gFat: 5g

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