Oct 15, 2025

By Donnaree Taylor-Mitchell

This cheesy veggie pasta recipe is packed with creamy richness and full of flavors. Fresh vegetables, al dente penne pasta, and a rich, creamy sauce blend together in this sumptuous dish. It's the perfect recipe idea for when you have little time but need something nutritious and delicious.

Why choose cheesy veggie pasta?

Name: Cheesy Veggie Pasta
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4-6
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 cups penne pasta (uncooked); 1 tablespoon vegetable oil; ½ teaspoon Original Crabby Seasoning; ½ onion sliced; 1 clove garlic; 2 small bell peppers; 2 carrots sliced; 1 ear corn; 6 cherry tomatoes; ½ cup olives; 1½ cups broccoli; 1½ cups zucchini sliced; 1 tablespoon butter; 1 tablespoon flour; ½ teaspoon salt; ½ cup almond milk; 1 cup cheddar cheese; ½ cup Greek yogurt (plain); 1 cup spinach; 1 tablespoon Cayenne pepper; ½ cup pepper jack cheese cubes

Apart from the fact that this dish is packed with rich cheesy flavors, firm pasta, and a nice blend of texture and taste from all the vegetables, it's also very nutritious and super easy to make.

You don't need to be a culinary pro to whip up this awesome dish. It only has four simple steps, which makes it an excellent recipe idea for busy weeknights or just about any time when you want to cook something healthy and nutritious.

Did I just say nutritious? The blend of vegetables used in this cheesy veggie pasta adds color and texture and is packed with nutrients. I know your immune system will also thank you for the probiotics from the yogurt.

Ingredients needed to make cheesy veggie pasta

Pasta, fresh veggies, and a combination of milk and cheese are the ingredients that blend together to create this sumptuous cheesy veggie pasta.

Pasta

Original Crabby Seasoning

Onion sliced

Garlic

Bell peppers

Carrots sliced

Corn

Cherry tomatoes

Olives

Broccoli

Zucchini sliced

Sauce

Butter

Flour

Salt

Almond milk

Cheddar cheese

Greek yogurt (plain)

Garnish

Spinach

Cayenne pepper

Pepper jack cheese cubes

Ingredient notes for cheesy veggie pasta

Now that we've covered the ingredients used in our cheesy pasta dish, we just have to note a few things and then jump right into how to make it.

Pasta

This recipe uses penne pasta, but you are free to choose another type or just use what you have handy in your pantry. Cellentani, campanelle, and farfalle are some other types of pasta options that will allow the cheesy sauce to stick to them while making this delicious dish look elegant and fun.

Seasons

A little bit of salt is added to the sauce to lift the flavors. Onion, garlic, and the Original Crabby Seasoning are used for the pasta and the vegetables. If you don't have the Original Crabby Seasoning, you may substitute it with salt.

Vegetables

Choose vegetables that are fresh and firm to get the best flavor, texture, and colors. Bell peppers, carrots, corn, cherry tomatoes, olives, broccoli, and zucchini are used in this recipe.

If you are getting your vegetables from your backyard garden, make sure to choose corn that's not too mature, as it will take longer to cook.

Sauce

Butter and flour are used as the base for this sauce. The flour will hold all the ingredients in the sauce together and give it a nice body. The yogurt provides creaminess and adds a nice tartness to the flavor of the cheese.

Garnish

The garnishes used in this recipe are not just for visual appeal. The cayenne pepper adds an element of flavor, and the spinach leaves create a crunchy texture.

How to make cheesy veggie pasta?

This cheesy veggie pasta is not very difficult to make, and it doesn't take a lot of time. In fact, with just 4 simple steps, this delicious cheesy meal should be on your table and ready to eat in a jiffy.

Once you cook the pasta, wash and prepare your vegetables, and make the cheese sauce, you just need to grab a platter and a fork and start biting into this delicious pasta vegetable dish.

Here is a breakdown of the four main steps. You may scroll down to the recipe card to see the instructions and the measurements for the ingredients.

Step 1

Cook pasta until they are al dente according to the package directions. Drain in a colander and then set aside.

Step 2

Wash all the vegetables, set aside the spinach, then slice all the other vegetables.

Sauté the onion, garlic, and original seasoning until golden brown, then stir in the pasta. Add the vegetables and cook for about three to four minutes.

Step 3

To make the cheese sauce, you'll start by melting the butter, whisking in the flour, and then adding the salt, almond milk, and cheddar cheese. When the cheese has melted, you remove the cheese sauce from the heat and stir in the yogurt. Add the sauce to the pasta and veggies.

Step 4

Plate the cheesy veggie pasta on a bed of spinach, then garnish with the cayenne pepper and the pepper jack cheese. And there you go. Your cheesy veggie pasta is ready to eat.

Recipe tips for cheesy veggie pasta

Though the cheesy veggie pasta is an easy dish that can be prepared by following only four steps, there are a few things that you need to keep in mind so that everything will turn out perfect.

Don't overcook the pasta

Cook macaroni al dente and remove it from the pot immediately after you are through cooking. Ensuring the pasta is cooked al dente will prevent you from ending up with mushy, overcooked pasta.

Don't cut or cook the spinach

While preparing the vegetables, remember not to cut the spinach or place them in the skillet. The spinach will add a nice blanket of color to this dish when you plate it.

Add the yogurt after turning off the heat

Do not place the yogurt in the saucepan while it is still on the flame. Remove the pan from heat after the cheese has melted, then add the yogurt. This will prevent the yogurt from becoming lumpy or curdling.

Serving ideas for cheesy veggie pasta

What would you have this cheesy veggie pasta dish with? Well, there is no limit to the number of dishes that you may pair this vegetable pasta with, but right now I have a few ideas for myself.

I don't know about you, but I would place this on a plate beside a scoop of rice and peas, a juicy slice of steak, a dollop of sauce, and a tall glass of cool fruit juice.

After that I'll grab a dessert fork, pick out a nice film, and help myself to a slice of strawberry cheesecake.

I hope you have a great time preparing and enjoying this delicious, easy-to-make cheesy veggie pasta

Cheesy Veggie Pasta

Donnaree Taylor-Mitchell

Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users

Cuisine

American

Author:

Donnaree Taylor-Mitchell

Servings

4-6

Prep Time

10 minutes

Cook Time

20 minutes

This cheesy veggie pasta recipe is packed with creamy richness and full of flavors. It's the perfect recipe idea for when you have little time but need something nutritious and delicious.

Ingredients

2 cups penne pasta (uncooked)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
½ teaspoon Original Crabby Seasoning
½ onion sliced
1 clove garlic
2 small bell peppers
2 carrots sliced
1 ear corn
6 cherry tomatoes
½ cup olives
1½ cups broccoli
1½ cups zucchini sliced

Sauce

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup almond milk
1 cup cheddar cheese
½ cup Greek yogurt (plain)

Garnish

1 cup spinach
1 tablespoon Cayenne pepper
½ cup pepper jack cheese cubes

Directions

Cook the pasta until they are al dente according to package directions, drain in a colander, and set aside.
Wash the spinach, bell peppers, carrots, corn, tomato, broccoli, and zucchini under running water. Set the spinach aside and slice the other vegetables.
Add oil to a large skillet and place over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onions, garlic, and the Original Crabby Seasoning then sauté until the onions are golden brown for about 2 minutes.
Add the pasta to the skillet and gently stir to combine with the onions and garlic. Add all the sliced vegetables to the skillet (remember not to add the spinach) then cook for about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside while you make the cheesy cream sauce.
Place a small saucepan on medium low heat and melt the butter. Whisk the flour into the melted butter then add the salt, milk, and cheddar cheese. Stir until the cheese has melted, remove from heat, and add the yogurt.
Use the spinach leaves to layer a platter or vegetable bowl. Add the cheese sauce to pasta and serve on a bed of spinach. Garnish with pepper jack cheese and cayenne pepper.