Creamy Lemon Herb Pasta Primavera – A Fresh Twist with Sonoma Gourmet’s Ricotta Sauce

This Creamy Lemon Herb Pasta Primavera combines spring veggies and bowtie pasta with Sonoma Gourmet's Lemon & Herb Ricotta Sauce for a fresh, flavorful weeknight dinner. 

Creamy Lemon Herb Pasta Primavera – A Fresh Twist with Sonoma Gourmet’s Ricotta Sauce

There’s something about spring that makes me crave color—on my plate, in my kitchen, and in my mood. The markets are brimming with bell peppers, zucchini, and sweet tomatoes, practically begging to be tossed into a light, vibrant pasta. Pasta Primavera has always been a favorite when the weather warms up and I want something quick yet nourishing, but this time, I stumbled on a little jar of magic that completely changed the game: Sonoma Gourmet’s Lemon & Herb Ricotta Pasta Sauce.

I wasn’t sure what to expect at first—a lemony pasta sauce? But one spoonful and I was hooked. It’s impossibly creamy without being heavy, bright with citrus, and balanced by fresh herbs and mellow ricotta. It felt like it was made for vegetables. I built the dish around that velvety texture and tangy freshness, sautéing mushrooms, yellow peppers, zucchini, and broccoli in olive oil until just tender. Then came the sauce, frozen peas for a pop of sweetness, and bowtie pasta to catch every creamy crevice. A few minutes later, I had a bowlful of spring sunshine, finished with juicy grape tomatoes and torn basil.

If you're looking for a way to shake up your weeknight pasta routine—or impress guests without stress—this dish is it. Sonoma Gourmet’s sauce does the heavy lifting, giving you restaurant-level flavor with barely any effort. Serve it with a side of crusty bread or a crisp white wine, and you've got a seasonal masterpiece that tastes as good as it looks.

What Ingredients do I need?

Produce

• Baby Bella mushrooms
• Yellow bell pepper
• Broccoli florets
• Zucchini
• Grape tomatoes
• Fresh basil

Frozen

• Green peas

Pasta & Sauces

• Bowtie pasta (farfalle)
• Sonoma Gourmet Lemon & Herb Ricotta Pasta Sauce

Dairy

• Unsalted butter

Oils & Vinegars

• Olive oil

Spices & Seasonings

• Salt
• Black pepper

Substitutions and Variations

Substitutions

Cooking should be flexible—here are a few easy swaps if you're missing an ingredient or want to change things up:

• Pasta:  No bowties? Use penne, rotini, or any short pasta that holds sauce well.

• Vegetables:  Swap in green beans, snap peas, or spinach for any of the veggies listed. Cauliflower also works well in place of broccoli.

• Frozen peas:  Canned peas work in a pinch—just rinse and add them at the end to avoid overcooking.

• Fresh basil:  Use fresh parsley or a sprinkle of dried Italian seasoning if basil isn’t available.

Variations

This recipe is wonderfully versatile—here are a few fun ways to make it your own:

• Add Protein:  Toss in grilled chicken, sautéed shrimp, or sliced Italian sausage for a heartier meal.

• Make it Spicy:  Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or a drizzle of chili oil for a gentle kick.

• Use What’s in Season:  Swap in roasted butternut squash, asparagus, or even cherry tomatoes cooked into the sauce if that’s what you’ve got.

• Try a Different Pasta:  Use whole wheat pasta for added fiber, or go gluten-free with your favorite alternative pasta variety.

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• Reserve your pasta water:  Don’t forget to save a little of the starchy pasta water before draining—it helps loosen the sauce and makes everything cling beautifully to the noodles.

• Don’t overcook the veggies:  For the best texture and color, sauté the vegetables just until crisp-tender. They’ll soften slightly more when combined with the warm sauce.

• Layer your seasoning:  Lightly season the veggies as they cook, then taste and adjust again once everything is combined. A little salt at each step builds better flavor.

• Chop evenly:  Try to keep your veggie pieces around the same size so they cook evenly and look great in the finished dish.

• Serve immediately:  This pasta is best served fresh, when the sauce is hot and silky. Leftovers are still tasty but may need a splash of water or broth to revive the sauce.

• Storage and Reheating Tips:  Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The pasta will absorb some of the sauce as it sits, so it may thicken a bit.  To reheat, place a portion in a skillet or saucepan over medium-low heat. Add a splash of water, broth, or even a bit of milk to loosen the sauce, and stir gently until heated through. You can also microwave it in short intervals, stirring in between and adding a splash of liquid to keep the texture creamy.  Avoid freezing this dish, as the creamy sauce may separate and the vegetables can become mushy when thawed.

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💬 Let’s Chat!

Did you make this Creamy Lemon Herb Pasta Primavera? I’d love to hear how it turned out for you! Did you stick with the recipe or add your own twist?  Leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram @SliceofSouthern—I’d love to see how yours turns out!

Pre-Holiday Easy Meal: Slow Cooker Arroz con Pollo

This one-pot dinner is inspired by the traditional dish of Spain and Latin America.  Slow Cooker Arroz con Pollo comes together easily, using your crock pot!

Slow Cooker Arroz con Pollo

What can be better than a one-pot meal?  One that features chicken and rice!  Arroz con Pollo is one of my all time favorite dishes.  When it's holiday time I don't have the time or the inclination to fix complicated meals.  With all the work to be done to get ready for Christmas I'm always looking for simple and tasty dishes for dinner.  When I came across this recipe on EatingWell's site I knew that this would be the perfect fit for this hectic week.  

Ingredients bell pepper, onion, garlic, tomatoes, and chicken are laced with Latin spices to create a sumputious saucy mix that cooks away in your slow cooker.  Brown rice is added later and gives this a healthy spin.  Latin flavored juicy and tender chicken with veggies served over a sauce soaked rice is mouth-waterningly good!  It's a dump and go meal that you can start around noon and 6 hrs later you have one heck of a dinner to serve.  

Enjoy!

What Ingredients do I need?

• red, orange, and/or yellow bell pepper

• onion

• fresh garlic

• low sodium tomato sauce

• low sodium diced tomatoes

• reduced sodium chicken broth

• Spices: chili powder, paprika, cumin, tumeric

• boneless, skinless chicken breasts

• instant brown rice

• frozen peas

• cilantro

Substitutions and Variations

• Use white rice instead of brown

• Chicken thighs would work great

• Add additional veggies like chopped carrots, corn, or mushrooms

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• Chicken can be removed to a cutting board and shredded and returned to the slow cooker.

• Instant rice is used for it's quick cooking ability.

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Slow Cooker Arroz con Pollo

serves 8

3 large red, orange, and/or yellow bell peppers, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 15oz can low sodium tomato sauce

1 15oz can low sodium diced tomaroes, with juice

1 1/2 cups reduced sodium chicken broth

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon paprika

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon tumeric

2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 cups instant brown rice

1 cup frozen peas

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

In a 6qt. slow cooker, combine bell peppers, onion, garlic, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, broth, and all the spices.  Submerge the chicken into the mixture.  Cover and cook on low for 5 1/2 hours.

Stir in rice and peas.  Cover and cook 30 minutes more, until rice is tender.  There may stll be a little liquid in the pot.

Using two forks, shred the chicken.  Serve garnishing with cilantro.

source:  eatingwell.com

Spring Fling: Grilled Chicken Spring Vegetable Salad

When you take a base of arugula and spring mix and top it with asparagus, green beans, peas, radishes, goat cheese, and a fabulous grilled chicken you have one heck of a main dish salad perfect for Mother's Day!

Grilled Chicken Spring Vegetable Salad

It's time to use up all the abundance of spring produce. Yea Spring!  Today we are making a main dish salad that I served for Easter.  It's filled with spring greens, asparagus, green beans, carrots, radishes, and peas!  It's a smorgasbord of spring ingredients.  I then grilled some coriander rubbed chicken breasts to top the salad.  Finish with a sprinkling of goat cheese crumbles, pecans, and a few raspberries and you have an amazing main course salad!  Feel free to top this with your favorite dressing or use one of my suggestions below.

This is the perfect main course for light lunches, weeknight dinners, Easter, Mother's Day, bridal showers, spring brunches or eating alfresco on a sunny weekend afternoon.  You will be filled with good for your ingredients and have a happy tummy to go along with it!

Enjoy!

What Ingredients do I need?

• boneless skinless chicken breasts - I used thin cut
• 50/50 spring mix - part arugula and spring mix
• asparagus - thin spears
• fresh green beans
• frozen peas
• radishes
• goat cheese with herbs
• raspberries
• pecan halves
• ground coriander
• fresh mint

Substitutions and Variations

• Substitute roasted chicken, a rotisserie chicken, or leftover chicken

• Substitute the protein:  salmon, shrimp or pork tenderloin would be great in the salad

• Use the herb of your choice: basil, thyme, or chives would be great additions

• Use a plain goat cheese, or use feta or ricotta salata - or leave off the cheese

• Switch up the greens:  use red leaf, green leaf, spinach, or butter lettuce

• Use your favorite spring produce - get creative!

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• Chicken:  if you like cold or room temperature chicken on your salad, cook the chicken first, then prep all the rest of the salad ingredients.  If you like hot chicken on your salad, cook the chicken last.

• Vegetables:  To get bright green tender crisp vegetables blanch them in salted boiling water for 2-3 minutes, then drain them in a colander and rinse them with cool water to stop the cooking process.  They will be bright and green and tender crisp!

• Instead of using a large salad bowl for the entire group I plated the salads directly on each individual's plate.  It's easier, and the presentation comes out better than tossing a salad.

• See below for some of my suggested dressings.

What do I dress this salad with?:

Avocado Herb Dressing

Lemon Poppyseed Dressing

Apple Cider Vinaigrette 

Parmesan Peppercorn Dressing

Lemon Mustard Dressing

Herby Buttermilk Dressing

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Grilled Chicken Spring Vegetable Salad

serves 4

4 thin cut boneless chicken breasts
kosher salt & ground black pepper
2 teaspoons ground coriander
8 cups of spring mix with arugula
1 1lb of thin asparagus spears, woody ends discarded
1/2 lb of fresh green beans, ends trimmed
1/2 cup frozen peas
4 radishes, thinly sliced
2-3 oz of goat cheese with herbs, crumbled
1/2 pint raspberries 
1/4 cup pecan halves, toasted

Pre-heat an indoor grill pan over medium-high heat.  Pat the chicken breast dry with a paper towel.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper on both sides.  Sprinkle the coriander about 1/4 teaspoon for each side on all chicken breasts.  Place chicken on the grill pan and cook about 3-4 minutes per side or until chicken reaches 160 degrees internal temperature.  Set aside and allow chicken to cool.

Meanwhile bring a large pot filled with water to boil.  Cut the asparagus spears in half and the green beans in half.  Add asparagus, green beans, and peas to the boiling water and cook for 3-4 minutes until the vegetables are bright green and crisp tender.  Remove from heat and drain vegetables in a colander.  Run cold water over the vegetables until cool, to stop the cooking process.

Arrange salad on individual dinner plates by spreading about 2 cups of spring salad mix per each plate.  Divide the green vegetables among the plates.

Cut the chicken breasts in to slices.  Place the slices on each salad plate among the veggies and lettuce mix.  Add sliced radishes, a few raspberries, crumbles of goat cheese, and pecans to each plate.  

Dress with your favorite dressing.

Southern Staple: Chicken and Biscuits

Chicken and Biscuits is a Southern staple that makes you feel like you are wrapped in a warm blanket.  Tender chunks of chicken and vegetables in a delicious sauce topped with a flaky biscuit.  It's the perfect winter meal!

Chicken and Biscuits

This Southern classic is usually a time-consuming effort, but with the help from a few high quality convenience items you can have this dish done in 1 hour!  This version utilizes Bisquick, to help with making the biscuits, and a rotisserie chicken.  The vegetables are  staples of mushrooms and peas along with leeks, which are a more delicate substitution for standard onions.  To jazz up the biscuits I've added Swiss cheese along with fresh thyme for a bit of a savory bite.

The sauce comes out rich and creamy and has loads of flavor to compliment the chicken and vegetables. Great comfort food in under and hour is heaven in my book.  Perfect for a Sunday dinner!

Enjoy!

What Ingredients do I need?

• Bisquick
• milk
• Swiss Cheese
• fresh thyme
• leeks
• white button mushrooms
• flour
• garlic
• low sodium chicken broth
• heavy cream
• rotisserie chicken
• frozen peas

Substitutions and Variations

• Use Gruyere cheese instead of Swiss

• Use leftover roasted chicken breasts or make your own shredded chicken in the Instant Pot (fresh chicken tastes the best)

• Use a yellow onion for the leeks

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• Buy a block of Swiss cheese and grate it yourself.  Pre-grated cheese is full of ingredients that keep it separated.  

• Par-baking the biscuits help them from getting gummy as thy would if baking fully with the chicken.  

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Chicken and Biscuits

serves 6

1 1/2 cups Bisquick
3/4 cup milk
1 cup Swiss cheese, shredded
2 Tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped, divided
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3  Tablespoons canola oil
1 lb. leeks, white and light green parts, washed thoroughly and sliced thin
8 oz, white mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup flour
3 cloves garlic, minced

2 1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
1 cup frozen peas, thawed

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Stir together Bisquick, milk, cheese, 1 Tablespoon of chopped thyme, and pepper together in a medium bowl.  Scoop out biscuit dough using a spoon to make about 9 drop biscuits and place them on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Par-bake the biscuits for about 7 minutes.  They will not be done at this point but they will cook through once they top the chicken and vegetables.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add leeks and mushrooms and cook about 5-7 minutes until soften and lightly browned.  Add the flour and garlic to the skillet and stir for about 1 minutes.  Whisk in broth and cream, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the skillet and smoothing out any lumps.  Simmer until thickened about 3-5 minutes.  Stir in shredded chicken and peas and 1 Tablespoon of fresh thyme.  Simmer until heated through.  Season with salt and pepper.

Pour mixture into a 9x13 greased baking dish or casserole dish.  Place biscuits on top and bake until the filling is bubbly and the biscuits are browned, about 10 minutes.  Remove from oven, let cool slightly and serve. 

Valentine's Day Dinner: Chicken Pot Pie Soup with Puff Pastry Hearts

 A hearty soup, made with chunks of chicken and vegetables in a thick delectable sauce, is topped with the cutest puff pastry hearts just in time for some Valentine's Day soul-warming food!

Chicken Pot Pie Soup with Puff Pastry Hearts

This is one dish that the whole family will love.  Perfect for this cold weather, and cute enough to serve to loved ones this Valentine's day.  This Chicken Pot Pie Soup with Puff Pastry Hearts has all the flavors of chicken pot pie without the effort of using a pie crust.  (love that!)

Tender chunks of chicken along with carrots, potatoes, celery, onion, and peas simmer in a thick sauce to create a warmly satisfying soup.  Top it with cute little hearts made from puff pastry and you have one delicious celebratory meal!

Enjoy!

What Ingredients do I need?

• canola oil
• russet potato
• celery 
• carrots
• flour
• low sodium chicken broth
• boneless skinless breasts, cooked and shredded
• frozen peas
• puff pastry

Substitutions and Variations

• Substitute leeks for the onions

• Add mushrooms, green beans, or corn to the mix

• Any fresh herbs such as thyme, bay leaf, or oregano will be a nice addition.

• Leave off the puff pastry or top with a biscuit

• Cooked turkey would be great in this soup.

• Add white wine for a sophisticated flavor

• Add poultry seasoning for a more developed chicken flavor

• Add some heavy cream for a richer creamier soup

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• For the chicken:  boil breasts or use an Instant Pot to cook the chicken and shred

• Use a rotisserie chicken or leftover roasted chicken

• Stores often carry pre-cut onions, celery, and carrots for convenience in the produce or frozen food sections.

• When adding flour you want to allow it to cook a little bit before adding the broth, so the flour taste cooks out.

• Other ways to thicken the soup is to create a flour, cornstarch, or rice starch slurry (starch/water mixture) added after the broth.

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Chicken Pot Pie Soup with Puff Pastry Hearts

serves 6

2 Tablespoons canola oil
1 large russet potato, peeled and cubed
2 celery rubs, sliced
2 medium carrots, peeled, and cubed
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 14 1/2 oz. cans low sodium chicken broth
2 large boneless skinless breasts, cooked and shredded
1 cup frozen peas
1 sheet of puff pastry

Set out 1 sheet of puff pastry to thaw.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a Dutch oven heat oil over medium-high heat.  Add the potatoes, onion, celery and carrots.  Cook for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally until onion is soft.

Stir in the flour and stir coating vegetables, and allow to cook for about 30 seconds.  Add salt and pepper and add in the broth.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered 15 minutes until potatoes are tender.  

Meanwhile, using a heart shaped cookie cutter, cut out hear shapes using the puffed pastry.  Place them on a sheet pan.  If your dough is cold proceed to baking them for 10 minutes until golden.  If the pastry is room temperate stick the cut out dough in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes and then proceed to bake for 10 minutes.  The colder the dough the puffier the pastry will be.

Add in the shredded chicken and peas to the Dutch oven, stirring to combine.  Cook 10 minutes to heat through.

Serve in bowls and top with pastries.

Spring Fling: Quinoa with Peas, Onion & Walnuts

A wonderful hot side dish filled with the superfood quinoa, fragrant onion, spring peas, and walnuts for crunch.  Add a sprinkle of lemon juice to brighten it up and you have one fantastic side dish that goes with any main course!

Quinoa with Peas, Onion & Walnuts

I have an easy hot side dish for you.  This quick dish can be made in under 30 minutes and will go with all kinds of main courses.  Perfect to go along with beef, chicken, fish, or pork, I served this along side a grilled flank steak with a southwestern flair.  

While this does take two pans this dish is simple to throw together.  It's filled with caramelized yellow onions for flavor and spring peas which you can buy frozen for a pop or green color and a veggie addition.  I've also added some walnuts for crunch, and then doused it with some lemon juice to brighten it all up.  This is a great dish that you will want to make over and over. 

What Ingredients do I need?

• quinoa
• peas
• yellow onion
• walnuts
• garlic
• lemon

Substitutions and Variations

• Combinations: asparagus, mushroom, and green onions with pine nuts

• red bell pepper, corn, and cilantro with pepitas

• zucchini, cherry tomatoes, and basil with pine nuts

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• For more flavor cook the quinoa in chicken or vegetable broth

• While the quinoa is cooking, cook your vegetables in a skillet, then add to the cooked quinoa

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Quinoa with Peas, Onion & Walnuts

serves 6

2 cups water
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
1/2 cup yellow onion, chopped

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 1/2 cups frozen peas

2 cloves garlic, minced

salt & pepper

2 Tbsp chopped walnuts

juice from 1/2 lemon

Bring water to boil in a large saucepan.  Add quinoa. Reduce heat and cover, simmering for 12-15 minutes until water is absorbed.  Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.

Meanwhile in a large skillet over medium heat add olive oil.  When hot add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally until tender and starting to brown.  About 8-10 minutes.  Add in the frozen peas and garlic.  Cook until heated through about 5 minutes.  Add the cooked quinoa to the skillet stirring to combine.  Add sat and pepper to taste.  Pour into a serving dish, add chopped walnuts and sprinkle with the juice of 1/2 a lemon.  Serve.