Fresh veggies and hearty pasta come together to make this backpacking-friendly version of Pasta Primavera.
Finding the right balance between healthy and filling can be a challenge when planning your backpacking meals. On one hand, you want to prioritize calories. But on the other, you can only go so long without seeing a vegetable before you start to feel a little strange. This pasta primavera was designed to check both boxes.
At home, start by loading up your dehydrator with vegetables. We went with zucchini, yellow squash, and cherry tomatoes. We also dehydrated some green “flavor enhancers”: flat-leaf parsley and capers. After everything has dehydrated, you can start to package it in a resealable container. You can place the dehydrated veggies, quick-cooking pasta, parsley, capers, butter powder, and dried spices all into the same container.
At camp, empty everything into a pot, cover with water and bring to a simmer. Stir periodically until the pasta has fully absorbed all of the water. Once it’s done cooking add a few tablespoons of olive oil to help pad the calorie count a little bit and add to the overall flavor.
When you’re done, you should be looking at a big heaping pot of hearty pasta and a refreshing bouquet of vegetables. So if you are looking to diversify your trail diet to include some more veggies, then you have got to give this recipe a try.
Backpacking Pasta Primavera
Makes 2 servings
Ingredients
- 1 small zucchini, cut into 1/4” thick half-moons
- 1 small summer squash, cut into 1/4” thick half-moons
- 14 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- 2 tablespoons capers, drained
- 2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, stems removed
- 1 cup small pasta shells
- 2 tablespoons butter powder
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 olive oil packets (or 2 tablespoons olive oil)
- 2 parmesan cheese packets
Directions
Place the zucchini, summer squash, tomatoes, capers, and parsley on dehydrator trays and dehydrate at 135 for 8-12 hours until completely dried.
Pack the dried vegetables, pasta, butter powder, spices and salt in a resealable bag along with two olive oil packets, or pack the oil separately in a small container.
At camp, add all ingredients except for the cheese to a cookpot with enough water to barely cover the pasta. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables are soft and the pasta is cooked through, adding more water if needed. Top with cheese & enjoy!
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