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Cheesy Vegetarian

15 Minute Creamy Pasta Primavera

This creamy pasta primavera is a quick and easy 15 minute dinner that’s packed with fresh veggies, with a creamy, cheesy sauce.

Pasta primavera with vegetables and a creamy sauce in a pan.

By the time it gets to dinner time, and the whole household is tired and hungry, I need something easy that can be cooked quickly. This 15 minute creamy pasta primavera is one of my favourite quick dinners. It’s packed with veg, full of different flavours and textures, and I can adapt the recipe to use up whatever’s in the fridge!

A portion of pasta primavera with lots of vegetables in a bowl.

15 minute dinner

I love super quick dinners, and it looks like you guys do too – my 15 minute mushroom stroganoff is still one of my most-viewed recipes ever. You are my people.

This pasta primavera ticks all the boxes:

  • it’s quick
  • it’s easy
  • it’s delicious
  • it uses whatever veg you have on hand
  • it can be adapted to your family’s tastes

Isn’t that just perfect? Pasta, veggies, and a cheesy sauce, in just 15 minutes. Bingo.

A fork taking a scoop of pasta primavera from a bowl.

What is pasta primavera?

In case anyone’s wondering what the ‘primavera’ part of this recipe title is all about – it’s Italian for ‘spring’. As you can probably guess, pasta primavera is usually made with lots of fresh spring vegetables. It’s full of vibrant colours and crunch.

I’m aware that it’s actually summer as I’m writing this (though the weather here would like us to believe otherwise), but that’s the great thing about pasta primavera. You don’t need to feel limited to just using certain vegetables – you can use whatever veggies you like.

Just use whatever’s in season / whatever’s your favourite / whatever you happen to have in the fridge and freezer. It always works out well.

A portion of pasta primavera in a bowl.

What is primavera sauce made of?

A classic primavera sauce is made with butter, cream and cheese (doesn’t it sound dreamy?!). However, since I rarely have cream in the fridge, and I don’t like buying ingredients just for one recipe (the rest of the tub always ends up going to waste!), I use something else: cream cheese!

As the cream cheese melts into the warm vegetables, it creates an incredible silky, glossy sauce.

I usually use the garlic and herb stuff, as it automatically brings a lovely flavour to the pasta primavera, with no extra effort from me.

Pasta cooked with frozen sweetcorn and frozen spinach.

How to make pasta primavera

Step 1: Boil the pasta with frozen veg

Begin by cooking the pasta. I always like to add some frozen veg to my pasta, as they cook together in the same time, and it’s a low effort way to get some extra veg into your dinner.

This time, I used frozen sweetcorn and frozen spinach. I like the blocks of finely chopped spinach, as the little pieces stick to the pasta, and it gets some extra goodness into my kids without them even noticing it.

Other frozen vegetables you could use include frozen peas, peppers, mushrooms, or anything else you enjoy. I’m personally not a huge fan of frozen broccoli or frozen carrots, as they often have a bit of an odd texture. But just use your favourites.

Vegetables being sautéed in a frying pan.

Step 2: Cook some extra veg in a frying pan

While the pasta’s cooking, sauté some other vegetables in a pan.

I always aim to get as many different colours and textures into my pasta primavera as possible. Since the main flavour of the dish comes from the vegetables, it’s nice to get a bit of variety in there. The flavours really shine through.

This time, I used onion, asparagus, and tomatoes, as well as a good dollop of garlic paste (it’s quicker than mincing your own fresh garlic!).

The vegetables only need to be cooked for a few minutes, as you ideally want them to have a bit of bite.

Vegetables in a creamy sauce in a frying pan.

Step 3: Create the creamy sauce

Next up, the creamy sauce!

As mentioned, I always use my favourite secret ingredient to make a creamy sauce: garlic and herb cream cheese!

There are all sorts of ways to make a creamy sauce. A white sauce is easy to make using butter, flour and milk… but just melting a bit of cream cheese into the pan is even easier, and it gives such a lovely, silky sauce that coats the veggies beautifully.

I like to mix a bit of grated cheese through it too, to help to thicken the sauce, and to make it nice and gooey.

Creamy pasta primavera in a pan.

Step 4: Mix it all together

Once the pasta and frozen vegetables have finished boiling, just drain the water, and mix everything together. Then you’re all done!

A big bowlful of creamy pasta, with heaps of fresh veg, and a little extra cheese sprinkled on top… absolute heaven.

Creamy pasta primavera in a frying pan, with lots of vegetables.

What vegetables can you use in pasta primavera?

The exact selection of veg doesn’t really matter for this pasta primavera, so feel free to change up the recipe depending on what you have in the fridge (it’s a great fridge clearer).

All of these vegetables would work well:

  • peas
  • green beans
  • broccoli
  • tomatoes
  • sweetcorn
  • onion
  • asparagus
  • peppers
  • mushrooms
  • spinach
  • courgette (zucchini)

…or pretty much any other veg you have on hand – anything that can be boiled in about 12 minutes with the pasta, or sautéed for 5 or 10 minutes in a frying pan.

Whatever combination you go for, your pasta primavera is sure to be a winner!

A portion of pasta primavera in a bowl with parmesan and parsley.

Print

15 minute creamy pasta primavera

This creamy pasta primavera is a quick and easy 15 minute dinner that’s packed with fresh veggies, with a creamy, cheesy sauce.
Course Main meal
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 2 people
Calories 645kcal
Author Becca Heyes

Ingredients

  • 185 g (~ 6 1/2 oz) pasta
  • 75 g (~ 1/2 cup) frozen sweetcorn
  • 3 cubes frozen spinach
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • ~ 15 spears asparagus (~ 150g / ~ 5 oz), sliced
  • 1/2 onion, thinly sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 tsp garlic paste)
  • 2 medium tomatoes, diced
  • 2 tbsp garlic and herb cream cheese
  • 50 g cheddar cheese, grated (~ 1/2 cup when grated)
  • 2 tbsp water (you can use the pasta cooking water)
  • Salt
  • Black pepper

Instructions

  • Add the pasta, frozen sweetcorn, and frozen spinach to a pan with plenty of water, and boil until cooked al dente – around 12-14 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat, and add the chopped asparagus, onion, and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes, until the vegetables are beginning to soften, then add the diced tomatoes.
  • After another 2 minutes, add the cream cheese, grated cheddar, and a splash of water. Cook for a couple of minutes until the cheese has melted and combined to produce a silky sauce.
  • Drain the cooked pasta, add it to the pan with the vegetables and sauce, and mix well to combine. Season to taste, and serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 1portion | Calories: 645kcal | Carbohydrates: 87.2g | Protein: 24.6g | Fat: 22.6g | Saturated Fat: 9.8g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 303mg | Potassium: 816mg | Fiber: 8.2g | Sugar: 9.4g | Calcium: 279mg | Iron: 6mg
Nutrition Facts
15 minute creamy pasta primavera
Amount Per Serving (1 portion)
Calories 645
Calories from Fat 203
% Daily Value*
Fat 22.6g35%
Saturated Fat 9.8g49%
Cholesterol 42mg14%
Sodium 303mg13%
Potassium 816mg23%
Carbohydrates 87.2g29%
Fiber 8.2g33%
Sugar 9.4g10%
Protein 24.6g49%
Calcium 279mg28%
Iron 6mg33%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Note: Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on exactly what ingredients you choose. Information above is for 1/2 the recipe.

Love a primavera? Try my creamy gnocchi primavera too:

The post 15 Minute Creamy Pasta Primavera appeared first on Easy Cheesy Vegetarian.

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Cheesy Vegetarian

Homity Pie (Cheesy Potato and Leek Pie)

If you’re not familiar with homity pie, let me introduce you:

Homity pie is a traditional British recipe, which is essentially a cheesy potato and leek pie. It’s just the sort of thing we Brits do perfectly – simple ingredients, combined to make incredible comfort food. Say what you like about British food, but it’s hard to argue with buttery sautéed leeks, cheesy crushed potatoes, and a flaky shortcrust pastry case.

A slice of homity pie (cheesy potato and leek pie).

I’m not going to lie, this homity pie is a bit of a labour of love. It’s not a quick weeknight meal like most of my recipes – this cheesy pie is definitely one to save for a special occasion (it would be perfect for a vegetarian Christmas dinner!).

Since cooking this pie takes a bit of time and patience, don’t try to cook it against the clock. Give yourself plenty of leeway – perhaps an afternoon where you’ve not got much else on. That way, it doesn’t matter if the potatoes have to sit for a little while so you can finish cooking the leeks, or if the pastry case is ready to fill before the filling is actually cooked – you can just potter away at your own pace, and it can all be assembled when you’re ready.

Overhead shot of a cheesy pie with a slice pulled away.

⭐ What’s in Homity Pie?

There are three parts to this recipe:

  • garlicky sautéed leeks and onion
  • buttery crushed potatoes (with a cheesy topping)
  • a crispy pastry case

These 3 elements can all be prepared simultaneously, or one at a time, depending on how good you are at multitasking. I’ve written the recipe in 3 separate parts, but if the timings work out (or if you have someone else helping you in the kitchen), you can prepare them all at the same time.

Once all three parts of the recipe are ready, they can be assembled, and baked one last time to complete your cheesy homity pie.

And by the way, I am 100% not a pastry expert. You may think my homity pie looks decidedly… rustic. But I like it that way 😆 If I wanted it to look perfect, I’d have saved myself a couple of hours, and bought one in a shop.

Becca’s Top Tip

Any extra scraps of pastry can be baked on their own, and eaten spread with strawberry jam – my kids love it when I cook with pastry as they always get little jam tarts!

Cheesy Vegetarian Bakes ebook on an ipad screen.

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🥗 Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make this recipe. See the printable recipe card below for detailed ingredient quantities.

Ingredients for homity pie laid out with text overlay.
  • leek – It’s hard to get the scale from the picture, but the leek I used was absolutely enormous – a proper monster (probably as big as my forearm!). If your leeks are a more normal size, you’ll probably need at least two.
  • potatoes
  • shortcrust pastry – I used a ready-rolled sheet of shop-bought pastry, as making pastry is not my forte. Feel free to use homemade pastry if you prefer!
  • cheddar cheese – If possible, use freshly grated mature cheddar cheese rather than the pre-grated stuff, as it melts more nicely.
  • onion – I used red onion, but regular onions would also be good.
  • fresh parsley
  • egg
  • garlic – I used pre-minced garlic from a jar because I hate chopping large amounts of fresh garlic.
  • curry powder (optional, but it does add a lovely hint of warmth)

Becca’s Top Tip

If you’re using shop-bought pastry, take it out of the fridge an hour or so before you need to use it. This helps it to soften a little, and means it’s less likely to crack as you unroll it.

📹 Recipe Video





🔪 Equipment

I like to use a loose bottomed springform cake tin for homemade pies. It works really well because:

  • The clip on the side and the loose bottom make it so easy to remove the pie from the tin once it’s finished baking.
  • It gives a nice tall pie, which looks great, and also gives a wonderfully thick layer of filling.
  • The metal heats up nicely and helps to crisp up the pastry.

You can use a shallower pie tin to make homity pie if that’s what you have, but I would always recommend a cake tin if you have one.

Here’s a similar one on Amazon, with great reviews:

8-Inch Springform Cake Tin

8-Inch Springform Cake Tin

I love using a loose-bottomed springform cake tin to make homemade pie. If you’re in the UK or Australia, click ‘Buy on Amazon’ to view a local product.

$14.99

Buy on Amazon

A slice of homity pie with sautéed leeks, potatoes and cheese.

🖨 Printable Instructions

A slice of homity pie.

Print

Homity Pie (Cheesy Potato and Leek Pie)

How to make the classic British recipe homity pie (cheesy potato and leek pie!) – a tasty vegetarian pie made with shortcrust pastry.
Course Main Course
Cuisine British, English
Diet Vegetarian
Prep Time 50 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 6 people
Calories 427kcal
Author Becca Heyes

Ingredients

  • 250 g (~ 9 oz) shortcrust pastry
  • 2 Tbsp flour (for dusting only)
  • 2 Tbsp butter, divided
  • 450 g (~ 1 lb) leeks, halved lengthwise then sliced
  • 1 onion (I used red onion), thinly sliced or diced
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon mild curry powder
  • 450 g (~ 1 lb) potatoes
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • Few sprigs fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 egg
  • 150 g (~ 5 oz) mature cheddar cheese, grated (~ 1 1/2 cups when grated)

Instructions

Part 1: The pastry case

  • Preheat the oven to 190°C (Gas Mark 5 / 375°F). Lightly grease an 8 inch springform cake tin. Dust the pastry and work surface with flour, and roll out the pastry until it measures around 12 x 12 inches (even if you’re using pre-rolled pastry, I find it helps to roll it a little thinner).

    Lay the pastry over the cake tin, and gently ease it into the corners, pressing gently (see the video below if you need more guidance). If you end up with any tears, just press the pastry back together. Trim off any extreme excess, but leave an inch or two extra around the edge of the tin, to allow it to shrink a little during baking. Prick the pastry a few times with a fork. Place the pastry case in the oven to blind bake for around 15 minutes.

    Uncooked shortcrust pastry draped over a cake tin.
  • When the pastry case is lightly golden brown, remove it from the oven. If the pastry has puffed up at all, just press it back down gently. When it is cool enough to touch, trim off any excess pastry by running a knife around the top edge of the cake tin.
    A cake tin lined with trimmed, cooked pastry.

Part 2: The garlicky leeks

  • To make the leek mixture, melt 1 Tbsp butter in a large frying pan, and add the sliced leeks and red onion. Cook over a medium heat, stirring regularly, until softened and just starting to brown. Add the minced garlic and curry powder, and cook for a couple more minutes. Set aside to cool for at least 5-10 minutes.
    Sautéed leeks and red onion in a frying pan.
  • When the leek mixture has cooled a little, add the chopped parsley and the egg, and thoroughly mix it in.
    Sautéed leeks and red onion in a frying pan.

Part 3: The buttery potato topping

  • To make the potato topping, cut the potatoes into chunks, and boil them for around 10-15 minutes, until just softened.
    Pieces of potato cooking in a pan of water.
  • Drain the potatoes, and add a Tbsp butter and a little salt. Use a fork to coarsely crush them – don’t make mashed potato, just break down any large chunks.
    Roughly crushed boiled potatoes in a saucepan.

Part 4: Assemble

  • Transfer the leek mixture to the blind baked pastry case, and spread it around into an even layer.
    A pastry case filled with sautéed leeks and red onion.
  • Add the smashed potatoes on top, and distribute them evenly.
    A pastry case topped with crushed potatoes.
  • Finish the pie with a generous amount of grated cheddar cheese.
    A pastry case topped with grated cheese.
  • Bake in the oven for around 30-40 more minutes, until the cheese is golden. Allow to stand for 5 minutes.
    A cheesy pie in a cake tin.
  • Run a knife around the edge of the pastry to ensure it is loosened from the tin, then undo the clip. I like to take the pie out of the cake tin by placing it onto an upturned mug or bowl – the tin will slide downwards and the pie will rise out of the top. Alternatively, you can tip the pie out upside down onto your hand or a plate, then turn it the right way up again.

    Slice to serve.

    A cheesy potato and leek pie with a slice removed.

Video





Notes

The three parts of this recipe can be prepared one at a time. Or, if you’re good at multitasking, they can all be prepared simultaneously to save time.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 427kcal | Carbohydrates: 42.9g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 23.9g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 408mg | Potassium: 520mg | Fiber: 4.1g | Sugar: 4.8g | Calcium: 245mg | Iron: 3mg

💭 Recipe FAQs

Can I prepare this pie in advance?

Yes! The pie is best eaten fresh from the oven. However, if you need to prepare it in advance, it’s best to assemble everything, then keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to do the final bake just before serving.

How should I reheat any leftovers?

The most convenient method is to reheat any leftovers in the microwave – however, this does cause the pastry to lose its crispiness. Alternatively, you can reheat in the oven at about 180°C (Gas Mark 4 / 350°F), but it may dry out a little (make sure you’ve got some gravy to hand!).

How should I serve homity pie?

Homity pie is pretty versatile. It’s great simply served for lunch with some salad. Alternatively, it also makes a great vegetarian main course for a special occasion, e.g. Christmas or Thanksgiving.

🥧 Other Veggie Pie Recipes

Vegetarian Christmas Recipes
A slice of homity pie.

Homity Pie (Cheesy Potato and Leek Pie)

Mushroom pie with chestnuts and a suet crust.

Creamy Mushroom Pie with Chestnuts (and Easy Suet Crust)

A slice of smoked cheese and broccoli tart being cut on a board.

Smoked Cheese and Broccoli Tart

Vegetarian Lentil Sausage Rolls

Vegetarian Lentil Sausage Rolls

The post Homity Pie (Cheesy Potato and Leek Pie) appeared first on Easy Cheesy Vegetarian.

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