Pasta Primavera

Slice the onion, red bell pepper, and zucchini. Trim the tough ends off the asparagus and cut into 1-inch pieces. Halve the grape tomatoes. Slice the mushrooms.

Mince the garlic cloves.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet or pot over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add the sliced onion and red bell pepper to the skillet. Cook for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add hot pepper flakes if using.

Add the mushrooms and zucchini to the skillet. Cook for another 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms have released their liquid and the zucchini is tender-crisp.

Add the asparagus and halved grape tomatoes to the skillet. Cook for 3-5 minutes more, until the asparagus is bright green and tender-crisp.

Season the vegetables with salt and black pepper to your taste.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add about 2-3 tablespoons of salt.

Add 1 pound of rigatoni pasta (or pasta of your choice) to the boiling water. Cook until just under al dente, as the pasta will finish cooking when combined with the vegetables.

Before draining the pasta, reserve about 2 cups of the starchy pasta water.

Drain the pasta in a colander.

Add the drained pasta and frozen sweet peas to the skillet with the cooked vegetables. Stir to combine.

Add about 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water and the grated Pecorino Romano cheese. Stir well to coat the pasta and vegetables, adding more pasta water if needed to create a light sauce.

Let the pasta cook with the vegetables for about 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente and the sauce has emulsified.

Tear fresh basil leaves and stir them into the pasta. Toss gently to combine.

Serve the pasta primavera immediately, garnished with extra grated Pecorino Romano cheese and a few fresh basil leaves, if desired.