Creamy Vegetable Spaghetti
A quick and comforting one-pot pasta dish featuring spaghetti, zucchini, peas, and mushrooms in a creamy Parmesan sauce, perfect for busy weeknight dinners.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 8 oz Spaghetti Enough for your serving size
- 1-2 small Zucchini, sliced or half-moons
- 1 cup Peas (frozen or fresh) Use frozen peas straight from the freezer—no thawing needed.
- 4-6 oz Mushrooms, sliced Cremini or white button work well.
- cups Water For boiling pasta, add a generous pinch of salt.
For the Sauce
- 1/2-3/4 cup Grated Parmesan cheese Plus extra for serving.
- 1/2-3/4 cup Heavy cream Adjust for desired richness.
- to taste Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Preparation
- Fill a large pot with water, add a generous pinch of salt, and bring it to a rolling boil.
- Add the spaghetti and cook following the package time for al dente. Stir occasionally.
- With about 3–4 minutes left on the pasta timer, add the sliced zucchini, peas, and mushrooms to the boiling pot.
- When the pasta is al dente and the vegetables are tender, drain most of the water—reserve 1/2 cup if you think you might need to loosen the sauce.
Cooking
- Return the pot to very low heat. Pour in the heavy cream and add the grated Parmesan. Stir constantly until the cheese melts and the sauce clings to the pasta.
- If the sauce becomes too thick, add the reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time.
- Taste and season with salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper.
- Serve immediately, topped with extra Parmesan and a grind of black pepper.
Notes
For a lighter finish, swap heavy cream for half-and-half, but note that the sauce will be thinner. For a dairy-free version, use a plant-based cream alternative and a sprinkle of nutritional yeast.