This pasta fresca is served with a quick balsamic vinaigrette and packed with veggies like cherry tomatoes, fresh garlic, and fresh spinach. A crowd-pleaser made using pantry staples!
If you're a fan of easy pasta recipes, this one's gonna be right up your street! You'll need a pasta pot, a large skillet, or a frying pan, and just about 20 minutes!
Jump to:
🌱 Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It comes together in under 20 minutes
- One serving contains at least 3 of your 5-a-day
- It uses super simple ingredients
- Packed with vibrant, fresh vegetables
- Serve it hot or as a salad at room temperature.
- Super easy but packed with flavor
Plus, you'll have step-by-step images and expert tips to guide you in the process!
🍅 Ingredients
See the recipe card at the bottom of this post for exact quantities and detailed steps.
Fresh tomatoes - I like to use small (cherry or grape) tomatoes. They're more likely to have a stronger flavor than plum, beef, or Roma tomatoes.
Red onion - Adds another pop of flavor and that signature sweetness. You can use shallots or yellow onions instead if preferred.
Garlic - The amount of garlic can be adjusted to your taste.
Fresh spinach - I like to use baby spinach and chop it up small. Spinach can get quite stringy when warmed up, and chopping it up small reduces that.
Fresh basil - To be used as a topping.
Pasta - I chose rigatoni pasta, but you can use whatever shape you want. Short shapes like penne, fusilli, rotini, farfalle, ziti, and rigatoni work particularly well.
For the fragrant balsamic sauce, you will need the following:
- Balsamic vinegar
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Dijon mustard
- Maple syrup or another sweetener
- Salt, black pepper & garlic powder
⏲️ Step-by-step
The cooking process for pasta fresca consists of 6 SUPER easy steps.
1 - In a small bowl, mix all the vinaigrette ingredients. Set aside for later.
2 - Prepare pasta in a large pot according to packet instructions. Save 1 cup of pasta water for later.
3 - While the pasta is boiling, heat olive oil in a large pan on medium-high heat.
Add sliced onions and saute for about 3 minutes until translucent and fragrant.
4 - Next, add garlic & tomatoes and fry for another 5 minutes.
5 - Add spinach and fry for 2 minutes until wilted.
6 - Finally, add vinaigrette & pasta water (to taste). Add pasta & toss to coat. Add more pasta water if desired & stir again.
To serve, sprinkle with fresh basil and the reserved spinach.
You can also sprinkle it with roasted lentils or pepitas for added crunch.
Is your frying pan too small to fit the pasta? Don't worry; use the pasta pan to mix the sauce & pasta in instead!
💡 Tips
- Before starting, read the entire recipe from start to finish to get a solid idea of what you'll be doing.
- Don't forget to set a timer for your pasta!
- Cook your pasta uncovered. This makes it easier to stir regularly.
- Do not overcook your pasta. Aim for al dente consistency.
- Don't forget to save some pasta water for the sauce.
- Add a portion of protein for added sustenance. I like serving it with marinated tofu, spicy vegan sausage, or chickpea patties.
- Add some roasted seeds or nuts for an extra crunch.
Hint: To make the cooking process as easy as possible, plan ahead! Measure out & cut all your veggies beforehand. Ensure your kitchen is as tidy & easy to navigate as possible.
🧀 Substitutions
Gluten-free: Use your favorite GF pasta instead.
Protein-rich: Use lentil or edamame bean pasta to get extra grams of protein & fiber.
Spicy: Drizzle with chili oil or sprinkle with chili flakes or cayenne pepper before serving.
Veggies: This recipe allows you to adjust the veggies to taste and use whatever you like. You can add mushrooms, asparagus, broccoli, carrots, peppers, etc.
Cheese: Instead of vegan parmesan, you can use any other type of cheese you'd like. I like adding (vegan) feta cheese, cheddar, or some nutritional yeast.
❓FAQ
The choice is yours. I went for rigatoni.
I'm usually picky regarding pasta shapes, but this dish works well with almost any shape. Avoid super small shapes like orzo and orecchiette & you'll be fine.
If you want to learn more about what pasta shapes work for what type of sauce, you can check out this pasta shape guide.
This depends on your preference.
I aim for around 75g (3 ounces) per person. However, many people recommend 56g (2 ounces) per person.
🥗 Serving
Wondering what to serve with this pasta fresca recipe?
- A delicious side salad
- Airy, soft dinner rolls
- Some refreshing fruit salad
- Garlic & herb twist bread
- Pan-roasted tenderstem broccoli
📦 Storage
Let the pasta cool down completely. Then transfer it into an airtight container and refrigerate.
It should keep good for about 3-4 days, but it's best eaten as soon as possible.
You can enjoy the leftovers as a pasta salad or warm it up.
To reheat (microwave) - Sprinkle with water and place on a microwave-safe plate. Reheat until piping hot (about 2 minutes). Remember to stir well halfway through.
To reheat (pan) - Add a tablespoon of water and warm it on low or medium heat until piping hot.
I don't recommend freezing this dish.
🥄 Food safety
- Wash all the fresh ingredients well to remove any dirt.
- Use a sturdy surface when cutting the vegetables.
- Don't let the dish sit uncovered at room temperature for an extended period.
- Last but not least, never leave the stove unattended.
More pasta dishes? Check out my roasted tomato, tandoori, or roasted peppers pasta.
🍴Recipe
20-Minute Pasta Fresca - Fresh & Easy Italian
Ingredients
Balsamic Vinaigrette
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup (60 ml) balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dry parsley
- salt & pepper to taste
Pasta
- 6 oz (170 g) pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium-sized red onion sliced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1,5 cups (250 g) cherry tomatoes halved
- 3 cups (90 g) fresh baby spinach chopped
Toppings
- ½ cup (15 g) fresh spinach
- fresh basil
- feta or parmesan vegan
Instructions
Balsamic Vinaigrette
- In a small bowl, mix all the vinaigrette ingredients. Set aside for later.1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, ¼ cup balsamic vinegar, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon maple syrup, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, salt & pepper to taste, 1 teaspoon dry parsley
Pasta
- Prepare pasta in a large pot according to packet instructions. Save 1 cup of pasta water for later.6 oz pasta
- While the pasta is boiling, heat olive oil in a large pan on medium-high heat.1 tablespoon olive oil
- Add sliced onions and gently saute for about 3 minutes until translucent and fragrant.1 medium-sized red onion
- Next, add garlic & tomatoes and fry for another 5 minutes.4 cloves garlic, 1,5 cups cherry tomatoes
- Add spinach and fry for 2 minutes until wilted.3 cups fresh baby spinach
- Finally, add vinaigrette & pasta water (to taste).
- Add pasta & toss to coat. Add more pasta water if desired & stir again.
- To serve, sprinkle with the remaining spinach, fresh basil, and cheese (if desired).½ cup fresh spinach, feta or parmesan, fresh basil
Notes
- Don't forget to set a timer for your pasta!
- Cook your pasta uncovered. This makes it easier to stir regularly.
- Do not overcook your pasta. Aim for al dente consistency.
- Add a portion of protein for added sustenance. I like serving it with marinated tofu, spicy vegan sausage, or chickpea patties.
- Add some roasted seeds or nuts for an extra crunch.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: The nutritional information above is calculated automatically. The author of this post cannot guarantee 100% accuracy of this data.
Made this delicious meal? I'd love to hear your take on this dish. If you enjoyed it, please consider leaving a star rating below - every review truly helps!
Got questions? I'm happy to help! Just leave a comment below.
Leave a Reply