Gnocchi Primavera with Spring Asparagus and Peas
Spring! PRIMAVERA! And all of the beautiful, fresh vegetables that come with it after a long winter’s wait.
Truthfully, it’s my favorite season because I’m outside more again and I’m in my gardens getting my hands dirty. Not everyone’s cup of tea, but for me, it’s bliss.
So in celebration of spring, I’ve made a classic Italian recipe and swapping in fluffy potato dumplings for Gnocchi Primavera with Spring Asparagus and Peas. You can use any pasta that you’d like for a ‘primavera’, but in previous recipes, I’ve used farfalle so much, that I just wanted to switch things up a bit.
Pasta Primavera was created to use the fresh, tender seasonal vegetables of the season. It’s a recipe that’s incredibly versatile and diverse depending on what you want to include from the season’s bounty.
Yet you can bank on asparagus, peas, broccoli, spring onions or mushrooms added into the mix for that delicious spring freshness! You can’t forget garlic either! On top of that, a light, creamy cheese sauce is created by gently tossing in some freshly grated Parmesan cheese to blend all of the freshness together with the pasta of your choice. If tomatoes are in season in your growing zone, you’ll be able to add those as well. For us, fresh tomatoes are not ripe until July, so they aren’t quite ‘primavera’ in South Carolina!
You can also throw in some fresh Italian parsley and a little bit of basil.
A primavera recipe is one of the easiest and fastest recipes to make. It’s almost like stir-frying vegetables, because you don’t want them to be soft, mushy and overcooked. Basically, fill a large, deep frying pan with olive oil and butter (yes, the butter makes the sauce so much more delicious), saute’ the onion and garlic for a minute, then throw in the veggies of your choice, add some salt and pepper to taste, and saute for maybe 5 minutes at best. Crunchy, packed with flavor vegetables!
While you’re sautéing the vegetables, your water is boiling and the pasta is cooking.
Toss them both together in a large serving bowl, add your grated cheese, and add some cream at this point if you prefer. The warmth of the vegetables and pasta (or gnocchi) will heat the cheese and cream together. As you stir everything together, a creamy primavera results.
If you buy your vegetables that have already been chopped up, you can literally have this on the table in less than 20 minutes!
Here’s a shot of the utterly amazing show of azaleas going on right now in my gardens. This is an Encore azalea that blooms again in the fall. Other color varieties are in bud now so the show will last for about another two weeks.

Gnocchi Primavera with Spring Asparagus and Peas
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Ingredients
- 1 lb. potato gnocchi (homemade or packaged)
- 2 – 3 Tbsp. olive oil
- 4 Tbsp. butter
- 1/2 medium size onion, diced
- 3 large cloves garlic, minced
Your Choice of Vegetables, What I Used
- 1 cup broccoli, cut into small florets
- 1 cup green peas
- 1 cup snap peas
- 2 cups asparagus spears, cut into 2″ long slices, dry ends discarded
- 1 – 1/2 cup sliced bella mushrooms
- 1/2 cup matchstick carrots
- any spring vegetable of your choice
- 1/2/ cup Parmesan cheese
- heavy cream if desired (at room temperature)
Instructions
- Bring a deep pot of water to a boil; add about a tablespoon of salt to the water.
- Add the gnocchi or pasta of your choice; cook to al dente according to the package directions.
- In a large, deep frying pan, heat the olive oil and butter on medium heat.
- Add onions and saute for one minute, then add the garlic and saute for another minute (do not burn the garlic).
- Add the vegetables and cook until a little soft, but still firm, for about 5 minutes. Do not overcook, the vegetables should be a brilliant color.
- Salt and pepper to taste; add more butter if necessary.
- Pour into a large serving bowl.
- Add about a half cup of parmesan cheese.
- Add the gnocchi or pasta.
- If desired, add heavy cream to desired consistency
What a great way to serve gnocchi. I have not had gnocchi in ages and your recipe looks for fun to eat for the summer months.
Thank you Lisa! I hope you enjoy this recipe!
Ciao,
Roz
This looks light and so good! I’ll have to make it soon!
Please let me know what you think of the recipe, Brenda! Thanks so much for your kindness and your visit!
Ciao,
Roz
OOO! What a great combination! I will totally make this for myself!
Thank you Alicia! Please let me know what you think, OK?
Ciao,
Roz
What a great idea to switch things up with gnocchi for a change. i love primavera and the mix of gorgeous vegetables is just so inviting! Another great-looking dish!!
Thank you Monica, this is so light and delicious!
Ciao,
Roz
From Miranda via LINKED IN:
Dr. Paige, I made Gnocchi Primavera With Spring Asparagus And Peas from your recipe on your website and it was unbelievably delicious. Thank you so much for sharing! 🙂
Hope all is well! Miranda
What an honor for me that one of my former college students would try one of my recipes and then to write to me to share her positive results! Grazie Miranda!
This dish screams fresh veggies and spring. Love everything about this.
Thank you Cheri! I appreciate such a kind compliment!
Ciao,
Roz
What a beautiful spring dish, Roz! I love gnocchi and vegetables, too, so know I would really enjoy it especially when you add in the garlic, butter, and cheese. Your azaleas are so pretty! Very fun to see them. Thanks for sharing your recipe and pictures with us!
Hi Shari,
This is a nice light and healthy recipe full of color that whets the appetite! Thanks for stopping by!
Ciao,
Roz
How pretty!
Thank you Sarah! I appreciate your visit!
Ciao,
Roz
I love spring for the same reasons! Beautiful dish, Roz!
Thank you Cindy! Spring is the best!
Ciao,
Roz
What a healthy looking dish… I love it! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Thank you Maria! I appreciate your comment and your visit!
Ciao,
Roz
We love gnocchi and this looks so fresh with all those spring veggies!
I love gnocchi too, this is such a light way to enjoy it, Caroline.
Ciao,
Roz
All that green! So bright and healthy paired with pillows of potato goodness. Yum!
Thank you Christie! It was fun to arrange this.
Ciao,
Roz
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Looks very tasty!
Thank you Amy!
Ciao,
Roz
This is a beautiful dish and your photos of really lovely. Looks tasty too.
Thank you Eileen!
Ciao,
Roz
MERAVIGLIOSO! Bella e buona la ricetta e bellissime le foto! Complimenti! http://www.unospicchiodimelone.blogspot.com
Grazie mille for your kind compliment!
Ciao,
Roz
I love this Roz. Looks like Spring on a plate!
Thank you Renee! Spring is the best!
Ciao,
Roz
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This is gorgeous and sounds so fresh and delicious!
Thank you so much Hezzi-D! I love the recipe that you made too! Fun theme for Sunday Supper!
Ciao,
Roz
Hi Linda,
Wow, my bad! I am so sorry and thank you for pointing out my error! I posted this at 1:00 in the morning and must have already fallen asleep on the couch! I have corrected the recipe card, but here is what I used:
1 cup broccoli, cut into small florets
1 cup green peas
1 cup snap peas
2 cups asparagus spears, cut into 2″ long slices, dry ends discarded
1 – ½ cup sliced bella mushrooms
½ cup matchstick carrots
any spring vegetable of your choice
But as always, use whatever is your personal preference. These are all spring veggies, but some people use tomatoes, green and red peppers, and zucchini . . . but in our time zone, those are not fresh spring veggies, but rather are summer fresh veggies. Being true to the name ‘primavera’ (spring), I only used spring veggies.
Ciao,
Roz
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What a simple, gorgeous springtime pasta dish! Katie loves gnocchi, so I need to add this to our menu soon! I haven’t made primavera in years—and you’ve given me a huge craving. xo
Thanks Liz. I need to make primavera more often since it’s so quick and easy . . . and so good for us!
xo
Roz
Spring Primavera. So delicious looking. Your photos are just beautiful. Gorgeous! Thanks for the beautiful post.
Thank you Kim! I love your rhubarb treats too!
Ciao,
Roz
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Looks awesome Roz, especially the brightness of the veggies.
Thanks Larry . . . the trick, as you know, is to not overcook the veggies.
Ciao,
Roz
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What a wonderful lunch! Asparagus is absolutely my favourite spring veggie and I can’t get enough of it.
Thank you Angie, I love it when a healthy recipe is also yummy . . . just like your recipes!!!
Ciao,
Roz