Pasta Primavera Packets with Lemon Balsamic Glaze are a deliciously fun way to eat ~ each steaming packet reveals pasta tossed with crisp veggies, fresh herbs, and cherry tomatoes roasted until they collapse into a juicy sauce, finished with a bright lemon balsamic glaze.
Pasta primavera ~ “spring pasta” ~ is a surprisingly modern American invention from 1970s New York. Despite its simplicity, it’s easy to get wrong: overcooked vegetables and flat flavor are common pitfalls. Spring vegetables lose their brightness quickly, but cooking them in packets keeps everything tender, vibrant, and full of fresh flavor while preserving their nutrients. So pasta primavera packets are not only cute and fun, they make a lot of sense.
Vegetables by themselves can be bland, even when cooked perfectly, so I’ve added lots of toasted pine nuts and a zingy lemon balsamic glaze give a boost to their delicate flavor. The glaze is amazing, it beats out Pomegranate Molasses for the most intensely delightful condiment I’ve ever tasted, and it takes 2 seconds to make.
Pasta primavera starts with fresh young spring vegetables.
The farmer’s market is the perfect place to find them, but your grocery store will have some at this time of year too. Look for smaller sized veggies, with greens attached.
- corn
- zucchini
- summer squash
- cherry tomatoes
- asparagus
- red onion
- bell peppers
The par-cooked pasta and veggies get tossed with olive oil, salt, pepper and herbs and then I spoon out serving sized portions onto squares of parchment paper and wrap them up. You can do this ahead if you want to.
tips for making pasta primavera packets
- All the vegetables should be young and cut small so they’ll steam perfectly in the packet.
- avoid very dense veggies like carrots and beets.
- Use a shaped pasta rather than a strand style, and par cook it before adding to the packet.
- shapes like penne, fusilli, farfalle, etc. work well for this meal.
- Be generous with a good quality extra virgin olive oil, this will add flavor and moisture.
Fold up the sides of the parchment squares like you would a lunch sack, folding over two times, Then do the same on each end, folding the edges under to keep the package secure while it bakes. Cut a couple of small slits in each bag to vent the steam.
They only need to bake for about 20 minutes. If you’re starting them cold from the fridge, add 5 minutes.
Then unwrap, shave a few shards of Parmesan cheese onto the pasta, drizzle with the lemon balsamic glaze, and dig in.
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Pasta Primavera Packets with Lemon Balsamic Glaze
Equipment
- parchment paper
Ingredients
- 6 oz pasta, cooked for only half the recommended time
- 6 Tbsp good olive oil, plus more as needed
- 1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
- 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 yellow or red bell pepper, cut into matchstick slices
- 1 small yellow summer squash, cut in matchstick slices
- 1 pint mixed heirloom cherry tomatoes
- 2 handfuls baby asparagus, sliced in 2 inch pieces
- 2 baby artichokes, cut in small wedges
- salt and fresh cracked pepper
- fresh dill and thyme
- Parmesan cheese for garnish
- 4 sheets of parchment paper, approx 15″x15″
glaze
- 1/2 cup white balsamic vinegar
- juice of 1 lemon
Instructions
- Set oven to 350F
- Take half of the cherry tomatoes and cut them in half. Leave the rest whole.
- Toss the cooked pasta in the olive oil, along with the pine nuts, onions, bell peppers, squash, tomatoes, artichokes and asparagus.
- Toss in the fresh dill and thyme leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Add more olive oil if the mixture seems a little dry.
- Spoon individual portions onto the parchment paper. Bring up two sides and fold over like a lunch bag. Fold the opposite sides, tucking them underneath so the packet will stay closed.
- Cut a small slit in each bag for steam venting.
- Bake for 20 minutes.
- Open the packets and add some shavings of Parmesan and a drizzle of the Lemon Balsamic Glaze.
- To make the glaze, heat the vinegar and lemon juice in a small saucepan until it comes to a boil. Simmer for about 3 to 4 minutes until reduced and thickened. Set aside.
Notes
Nutrition
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