This creamy bow tie pasta with spring vegetables is a family favorite for a fast weeknight meal. The pasta is paired with fresh vegetables and is tossed in a light, yet creamy tomato sauce and is sure to be a pasta dish the whole family will enjoy.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- This easy recipe comes together in less than 30 minutes and is perfect for busy weeknights.
- This pasta is simple, but flavorful thanks to fresh ingredients and the delicious, velvety sauce.
- If you are wanting to cook with seasonal produce, this is a perfect recipe for spring!
Looking for another creamy pasta recipe? We love our creamy marry me chicken pasta with sun-dried tomatoes and our garlic parmesan chicken pasta with cherry tomatoes. Both of these recipes use bow-tie pasta and are tossed in a creamy sauce.
Ingredient Notes
- Bow tie pasta - also known as farfalle pasta or butterfly pasta, it is the perfect pasta shape for this recipe! Its great shape helps to hold onto the sauce so that you get good flavor in each bite. However, you can swap for another pasta shape if needed.
- Asparagus, peas, and spinach - the perfect Spring vegetables for this delicious pasta dish!
- Heavy cream - feel free to swap with full fat coconut milk for a dairy-free version.
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese - we highly recommend buying a block of fresh parmesan cheese and using a microplane grater. This produces a very fine shred that melts seamlessly into the sauce without becoming clumpy or gluey.
See the recipe card below for a complete list of ingredients and measurements.
Tips & Variations
- You can top with thin strips of fresh basil or a fresh squeeze of lemon juice to introduce other fresh flavors.
- You can serve this bowtie pasta as a side dish with our easy grilled balsamic chicken or our herb crusted chicken (Texas Roadhouse copycat).
How to Make Creamy Bow Tie Pasta With Spring Vegetables
For the full recipe instructions, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Step 1: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta to the pot, stirring frequently, until it is cooked al dente. Drain the pasta and set aside.
Step 2: While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Add the garlic, asparagus, green peas, and chopped spinach. Continue to sauté the vegetables for 3-5 minutes, or until the asparagus begins to soften, the peas thaw, and the spinach wilts.
Step 3: Add the diced tomatoes and gently combine with the vegetables
Step 4: Add the cream, parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and optional red pepper flakes.
Step 5: Mix until all components are well combined and the cheese has melted evenly throughout the sauce. Continue to simmer for another 1-2 minutes until the sauce begins to slightly thicken.
Step 6: Combine the drained pasta with the vegetables and tomato cream sauce.
Serve with additional parmesan or red pepper flakes if desired and add additional salt to taste.
Creamy Bow Tie Pasta FAQs
We recommend storing leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and eating within 3-4 days.
This recipe can be made gluten-free with the use of gluten-free noodles. It can be made dairy-free or vegan with the use of full fat coconut milk in place of heavy cream and the omission of the parmesan cheese. It is vegetarian.
Other Pasta Dishes
If you make this creamy bow tie pasta recipe, please let us know how it turns out in the comments below and/or rate the recipe! Don’t forget to tag us on Instagram to show us your finished product—it makes our day every time we see you trying the recipes we love!
Creamy Bow Tie Pasta With Spring Vegetables
Ingredients
- 14 ounces bowtie pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 bunch of asparagus (woody stem snapped off, remainder cut into 1 inch pieces)
- 1 cup frozen green peas
- 3 cups lightly packed spinach, chopped
- 14 ounce can of petite diced tomatoes
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta to the pot, stirring frequently, until it is cooked al dente. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Add the garlic, asparagus, green peas, and chopped spinach. Continue to sauté the vegetables for 3-5 minutes, or until the asparagus begins to soften, the peas thaw, and the spinach wilts.
- Add the diced tomatoes and gently combine with the vegetables. Add the cream, parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and optional red pepper flakes. Mix until all components are well combined and the cheese has melted evenly throughout the sauce.
- Continue to simmer for another 1-2 minutes until the sauce begins to slightly thicken. Combine the drained pasta with the vegetables and tomato cream sauce.
- Serve with additional parmesan or red pepper flakes if desired and add additional salt to taste.
Notes
- Save time/prep ahead:
- You can chop the asparagus and spinach ahead of time.
- This recipe can be made gluten-free with the use of gluten-free noodles. It can be made dairy-free or vegan with the use of full fat coconut milk in place of heavy cream and the omission of the parmesan cheese. It is vegetarian.
- The recipe can be found on My Fitness Pal by searching "BWB Bow Tie Pasta." The nutrition content provided for each recipe is an estimate created through the My Fitness Pal database. Please be aware that the nutritional content of each recipe may vary based on the products you use, the precision of your measurements, and the source you use to obtain nutrition data. While we try to provide accurate information, we give no guarantee regarding the accuracy of the nutritional information provided.
Ann
Loved this recipe! It is so simple but delicious and took less than 30 minutes to put together. Will definitely be a repeat at our house!
Olivia & Annie
We're so glad to hear you loved this recipe Ann, thanks for letting us know!