15 Minute Pasta Fresca

I love this 15-minute pasta. Seriously. It literally takes 15 minutes to make this, start to finish. Simply boil the pasta while your mushrooms and onion sauté in that glorious balsamic reduction, then toss the rest of your ingredients in the pan, and serve!

For more light and fresh pasta recipes, try our 15 Minute Italian Garden Pasta.

Why My Recipe

A quick and easy pasta recipe that’s ready in 15 minutes!
Loaded with vegetables and topped off with creamy feta cheese.
Light and fresh, made with balsamic and red wine vinegar, rather than a heavy sauce.

Closeup of 15-Minute Easy Pasta Fresca in a skillet.

This is a great meatless meal for when you want a light dinner that’s still big on flavor! It’s a copycat recipe from Noodles & Company that our family has been enjoying for years. We love this pasta dish because it’s loaded with veggies like mushrooms and tomatoes. But if you prefer to add a little protein, you can easily add some chicken or salmon.

Ingredient Notes

Ingredients used to make 15-Minute Easy Pasta Fresca.

Penne Pasta: Just use from the box and cook to al dente.
Olive Oil: Use a light, neutral oil to cook the veggies. You can also use avocado or vegetable oil.
Garlic: Freshly minced garlic provides the best flavor, but jarred minced garlic does work too. Jarred just has a less sweet, slightly more bitter flavor.
Red Onion: Feel free to substitute with white or yellow onions based on your preference.
Mushrooms: White button or the brown cremini mushrooms both work.
Cherry or Grape Tomatoes: Either of these works. Cut them in half or quarters for the perfect bite. You can even use a mix of yellow and red tomatoes.
Baby Spinach Leaves: Has a softer texture than regular spinach and wilts down more easily. Make sure to rinse before cooking!
Balsamic Vinegar: Use a good quality balsamic vinegar for the best flavor.
Red Wine Vinegar: White wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar can be used as a substitute in the same amount.
Feta Cheese: Crumbled feta adds a salty and tangy flavor.

Add Some Protein

We think this dish is delicious all by itself, but sometimes we’re looking for a little added protein. You have so many choices when it comes to protein options. Here are some of our favorites:

Chicken: Use chicken tenders or chicken breasts for equally quick cooking. Season with a little salt and pepper, and sear it in olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking until the chicken is cooked through.

Salmon: Season salmon portions with a little salt and pepper. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a skillet heated to medium-high heat. Sear salmon portions for 3-4 minutes per side.

Pasta Options

This recipe calls for penne pasta, but you can use any kind of pasta you’d like. Other pasta options that would work well with this recipe include angel hair pasta, linguine, farfalle (bow tie), or shells.

Closeup of 15-Minute Easy Pasta Fresca in a bowl.

Switch up the Veggies

We love this recipe for all of those delicious veggies that add flavor and texture to this dish. If you’d like to add more veggies (or swap some out), asparagus and zucchini are great options. They have a similar texture and cook time as the other veggies and pair well with Italian flavors. Just throw them right in when sautéing!