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Recipe for Pasta Parmesan with Vegetables

Parmesan and rotini pasta recipe with garden vegetables in a garlic butter sauce developed by the California Culinary Centers for school food service menu planning.

pasta parmesan

For more recipes visit the CA Culinary Centers Standardized Recipes web page.

Yields 50 Servings

This recipe yields one–12 inch by 20 inch by 4 inch pan or 50–¾ cup or 6 ounce spoodle servings of pasta parmesan with vegetables.

Ingredients

Ingredients list includes measure by weight or volume. Choose one measure, either weight or volume, for the ingredient. Weight is listed first in bold.

  • 2 gallons water
  • 3½ pounds dry, whole grain-rich rotini pasta (U.S. Department of Agriculture [USDA] food item)
  • Pan release spray
  • 1 pound as purchased (AP) fresh red bell peppers
  • 2 pounds AP zucchini squash
  • 2 pounds AP fresh whole broccoli
  • ¼ cup ready to use garlic, minced
  • 3 gallons water
  • 1 cup butter (USDA food item)
  • 1 quart and 1½ cups parmesan cheese, shredded

Directions

To Prepare Pasta

  1. Bring water to full boil in large stock pot. Add rotini and cook 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Test at 10 minutes; continue to cook if needed until al dente. Do not overcook pasta. Drain well.
  2. Spray one–12 inch by 20 inch by 4 inch pan with pan release spray. Pour pasta evenly into pan. Hold in warmer at 135°F. Critical Control Point (CCP): Hold cooked pasta in pan at 135°F or higher.
  3. Rinse peppers, squash, and broccoli under cool running water.
  4. Trim and chop peppers into 1 inch pieces to measure 1 quart and ½ cup.
  5. Chop squash into 1 inch cubes to measure 1 quart and 2¼ cups.
  6. Chop broccoli into 1 inch stem and floret pieces to measure 1 quart and 1 cup.
  7. Place garlic and butter in saucepan, melt butter. Set aside for assembly.
  8. Measure 1 quart and 1½ cups parmesan cheese. Set aside for assembly.
  9. Bring 3 gallons of water to full boil. Add peppers, squash, and broccoli. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes; drain.

To Assemble

  1. Remove the pan of rotini from warmer. Stir in melted butter and garlic mixture.
  2. Add peppers, squash, and broccoli to rotini. Toss to combine.
  3. Add parmesan cheese into pan and toss to combine.
  4. Serve immediately ¾ cup or 6 ounce spoodle servings of pasta parmesan with vegetables for each serving.
  5. For later service, hold in warmer no longer than 2 hours at 135°F. CCP: Hold baked pasta parmesan with vegetables at 135°F or higher. Recipe Note: Hold no more than 2 hours at 135°F before serving. Do not make too far in advance or it will be dry and visually unappealing.

Nutritional Analysis

  • Calories, in K calories: 158
    Carbohydrates, in grams: 25.90
    Protein, in grams: 8.40
    Saturated fat, in grams: 1.60
    Trans fat, in grams: 0
    Total fat, in grams: 2.80
    Sodium, in milligrams: 89.60

Recipe Options

The CA Culinary Centers have calculated and tested the yields for this standardized recipe. You may choose to vary the spices in the recipe to meet the taste preferences of your students. For example, using a 1.5 to 2 ratio for spices when doubling the recipe yield from 50 to 100. However, changing or substituting any other ingredients may result in a different yield, meal contribution, or dietary specification, and should be considered a different recipe. To learn more about how to standardize your recipe visit the CA Culinary Centers Standardized Recipes web page Resources tab.

Yields 100 Servings

This recipe yields two–12 inch by 20 inch by 4 inch pan or 100–¾ cup or 6 ounce spoodle servings of pasta parmesan with vegetables.

Ingredients

Ingredients list includes measure by weight or volume. Choose one measure, either weight or volume, for the ingredient. Weight is listed first in bold.

  • 4 gallons water
  • 7 pounds dry, whole grain-rich rotini pasta (U.S. Department of Agriculture [USDA] food item)
  • Pan release spray
  • 2 pounds as purchased (AP) fresh red bell peppers
  • 4 pounds AP zucchini squash
  • 4 pounds AP fresh whole broccoli
  • ½ cup ready to use garlic, minced
  • 6 gallons water
  • 2 cups butter (USDA food item)
  • 2 quarts and 3 cups parmesan cheese, shredded

Directions

To Prepare Pasta

  1. Bring water to full boil in large stock pot. Add rotini and cook 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Test at 10 minutes; continue to cook if needed until al dente. Do not overcook pasta. Drain well.
  2. Spray two–12 inch by 20 inch by 4 inch pans with pan release spray. Divide pasta evenly in pans. Hold in warmer at 135°F. Critical Control Point (CCP): Hold cooked pasta in pan at 135°F or higher.
  3. Rinse peppers, squash, and broccoli under cool running water.
  4. Trim and chop peppers into 1 inch pieces to measure 2 quarts and 1 cup.
  5. Chop squash into 1 inch cubes to measure 3 quarts and ½ cup.
  6. Chop broccoli into 1 inch stem and floret pieces to measure 2½ quarts.
  7. Place garlic and butter in saucepan, melt butter. Set aside for assembly.
  8. Measure 2 quarts and 3 cups parmesan cheese. Set aside for assembly.
  9. Bring 6 gallons of water to full boil. Add peppers, squash, and broccoli. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes; drain.

To Assemble

  1. Remove rotini pans from warmer. Stir in melted butter and garlic mixture.
  2. Add peppers, squash, and broccoli to rotini. Toss to combine.
  3. Add parmesan cheese into pan and toss to combine.
  4. Serve immediately ¾ cup or 6 ounce spoodle servings of pasta parmesan with vegetables for each serving.
  5. For later service, hold in warmer no longer than 2 hours at 135°F. CCP: Hold baked pasta parmesan with vegetables at 135°F or higher. Recipe Note: Hold no more than 2 hours at 135°F before serving. Do not make too far in advance or it will be dry and visually unappealing.

Nutritional Analysis

  • Calories, in K calories: 158
    Carbohydrates, in grams: 25.90
    Protein, in grams: 8.40
    Saturated fat, in grams: 1.60
    Trans fat, in grams: 0
    Total fat, in grams: 2.80
    Sodium, in milligrams: 89.60

Recipe Options

The CA Culinary Centers have calculated and tested the yields for this standardized recipe. You may choose to vary the spices in the recipe to meet the taste preferences of your students. For example, using a 1.5 to 2 ratio for spices when doubling the recipe yield from 50 to 100. However, changing or substituting any other ingredients may result in a different yield, meal contribution, or dietary specification, and should be considered a different recipe. To learn more about how to standardize your recipe visit the CA Culinary Centers Standardized Recipes web page Resources tab.

General Recipe Information

Category

  • Hot plate recipes
  • Side dish recipes
  • Meatless or plant-based recipes

Serving Suggestion

  • Yield one or yield two–12 inch by 20 inch by 4 inch pans, or 50 or 100–¾ cup or 6 ounce spoodle servings of pasta parmesan with vegetables.

Contribution to Meal Pattern

The contribution to the meal pattern for this recipe is based on the suggested serving size above.

  • 0.25 ounce equivalents meat/meat alternative
  • 1 ounce equivalents whole grain-rich
  • ⅛ cup vegetables (⅛ cup other vegetables)

If you decide to modify this recipe or serving size, you may use the tools available on the CA Culinary Centers Standardized Recipes web page Resources tab to create your own standardized recipe or find the contribution to the meal pattern.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Items

  • Whole grain-rich rotini pasta, dry
  • Butter

Recipe Roots (Flavor Profile)

  • California fresh
  • Mediterranean

Preparation Time

  • Preparation: 20 minutes for 50 servings or 30 minutes for 100 servings
  • Cook: 30 minutes for 50 servings or 40 minutes for 100 servings

Critical Control Point (CCP)

  • CCP: Hold cooked pasta in pan at 135°F or higher.
  • CCP: Hold baked pasta parmesan with vegetables at 135°F or higher.

Kid Rating

Three-fork kid rating.

Culinary Center

Conejo Valley Unified School District

 

Questions:   Nutrition Services Division | 800-952-5609
Last Reviewed: Tuesday, August 04, 2026
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