Now that Ian is six months old I am excited to start feeding him whole foods. Unlike with my older two, I’ve decided to skip the jarred food and go straight for table food (baby-led weaning). I can’t wait to watch him explore this whole new world of foods and grow into a little foodie. That’s the plan, at least!

I’ve been researching and reading up on the best practices to get started. Most have suggested “sticks” of veggies that have a “handle” for little hands, like broccoli, though James isn’t too sure about starting him on the “most hated” vegetable of all time. (Even when he actually likes broccoli himself.) I am excited to pick up some local, seasonal produce for Ian to try since our much-neglected backyard garden probably won’t be yielding much this year.

This pasta primavera is a really simple recipe that you can easily switch up with whatever seasonal spring or summer produce you have on hand. I went with zucchini and tomatoes because that is what I had sitting on my counter, but you could also throw in carrots, yellow squash, onion, or bell pepper.

I made this dish using linguine, but you could sub in your favorite noodle; farfalle would be another good option. This would be a great dish to serve for little ones learning to explore food; just cut the zucchini into “sticks” and don’t let them soften too much, just before the al dente stage (and no salt).

Pasta Primavera

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 25

Servings:

Calories: 258kcal

Author: Emily Grace

Ingredients

Instructions

Cook the pasta as directed on the package. Reserve 1/4 cup cooking liquid when draining.
Season the zucchini with salt and pepper.
Heat the olive oil in a small pan over medium heat.
Add the garlic and zucchini to the pan; cook until just soft, enough to remove the "bite".
Add the zucchini, tomatoes, red pepper flakes, pasta water, and butter to the cooked pasta.
Top with Parmesan, toss well to combine, and season with salt and pepper.