Spring Garden Pasta with Fresh Herb Oil

A vibrant celebration of seasonal vegetables tossed with homemade basil oil and tender pasta

Recipe Details

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Rest Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 6 servings

What You Will Need

Fresh Produce

1 generous bunch of fresh basil
2 medium zucchini, cut into small cubes
1 large leek, trimmed and roughly chopped (light parts only)
1 full bunch of green onions, sliced
1 bunch of fresh asparagus, stems diced and tips kept intact
1 cup sugar snap peas, roughly chopped
½ cup fresh shelled English peas
2 jalapeño peppers, seeds removed and finely diced
2 garlic cloves

Pantry & Dairy

1 pound dry fettuccine
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons good quality olive oil, divided
3 cups chicken broth, divided
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 small pinches of kosher salt

Step By Step Instructions

Step One — Blanch and Prep the Basil

Prepare a large bowl filled with ice water and position it near your stove. Bring a generously salted large pot of water to a rolling boil. Grab your basil bunch firmly by the stems and quickly dip just the leaves into the boiling water for no longer than 2 seconds — you will notice them turn a stunning bright green almost instantly. Without hesitation, plunge the leaves directly into the ice bath to lock in that vibrant color. Once completely cooled, drain thoroughly and strip the leaves from the stems. Discard the stems.

Step Two — Build Your Herb Oil

Add the blanched basil leaves into a blender along with 1 cup of chicken broth, ½ cup olive oil, and the garlic cloves. Blend everything together on high speed until completely smooth and beautifully green. Set this fragrant purée aside for later.

Step Three — Cook the Pasta

Using the same pot of boiling water, cook your fettuccine according to package directions until it reaches that perfect al dente texture, roughly 8 minutes. Drain well and transfer the pasta to your largest mixing bowl. Do not rinse it.

Step Four — Sauté the Vegetables

While your pasta cooks, warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a wide Dutch oven or deep sauté pan over medium heat. Toss in the leeks and green onions, stirring occasionally until they soften and become fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the diced jalapeños along with a pinch of salt and continue cooking for another 5 minutes.

Crank the heat up to medium-high and pour in the remaining 2 cups of chicken broth. Add the zucchini, sugar snap peas, and English peas. Let everything simmer together for 5 minutes, then drop in the asparagus and cook for a final 3 minutes until just tender but still holding their shape.

Step Five — Finish the Sauce

Stir ¼ cup of your basil-garlic oil directly into the hot vegetable mixture and let it cook together for about 1 minute until everything is beautifully combined and heated through. Remove the pan from heat immediately.

Step Six — Bring It All Together

Pour the entire vegetable mixture over the waiting pasta and give it a good toss. Add the remaining basil oil over the top, shower with freshly grated Parmesan, and toss once more gently. Cover the bowl tightly with aluminum foil and allow everything to rest for 5 minutes — this step lets the pasta absorb all those incredible flavors. Give it one final toss and serve immediately.

Nutrition Information

Per single serving

Nutrient	Amount
Calories	590
Total Fat	27g
Saturated Fat	5g
Cholesterol	8mg
Sodium	607mg
Total Carbohydrates	73g
Dietary Fiber	8g
Total Sugars	8g
Protein	19g
Vitamin C	38mg
Calcium	204mg
Iron	6mg
Potassium	708mg

💡 Cook's Tip: The secret to this dish is working quickly when blanching your basil. Those 2 seconds in boiling water followed by the ice bath are what give your herb oil that gorgeous, restaurant-quality green color. Do not skip this step!