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Pork Cavatelli with Salty Vegetables

Browned lean pork and a generous mix of vegetables cling to cavatelli in a quick lemon, caper, and Parmesan sauce.

Cavatelli with browned pork, colorful vegetables, capers, Parmesan, and basil in a shallow bowl.

This skillet pasta gives the vegetables as much space as the pork, letting zucchini, pepper, and tomatoes stay bright rather than cooking down into a heavy sauce. Cavatelli's ridges catch a little starchy water, lemon, and cheese for a light coating.

Brown the pork in small crumbles

Lean ground pork cooks quickly when broken into small pieces across a wide hot skillet. Let it sit briefly between stirs so it browns instead of steaming, then use its pan juices to flavor the vegetables.

Keep vegetables plentiful

Onion, zucchini, bell pepper, and tomatoes bring different textures while remaining quick to cook. Add the tomatoes after the firmer vegetables so they soften and release some juice without disappearing into the pan.

Pork crumbles and zucchini, pepper, and tomatoes cook together in a wide skillet. — Pork crumbles and vegetables cook together in the skillet before the pasta joins.

Time the cavatelli by its form

Dried cavatelli often needs 8 to 12 minutes, but the package timing and a taste test are the best guides. Fresh cavatelli is much quicker, usually about 2 to 4 minutes, so start checking it early while the skillet base waits off heat.

Use pasta water gradually

The sauce comes together from pasta water, lemon, and Parmesan rather than a large amount of cream or oil. Add the starchy water in splashes as you toss; stop when it clings lightly and the vegetables still look distinct.

Ridged cavatelli carries a light sauce with pork, capers, zucchini, tomato, and basil. — Ridged cavatelli holds a light sauce among pork, capers, colorful vegetables, and basil.

Taste before the last pinch

Capers, Parmesan, and salted pasta water all bring savory salt, so taste a forkful with pasta and vegetables before seasoning further. A little lemon and fresh basil keep those briny notes lively when the bowls reach the table.

Pork Cavatelli with Salty Vegetables

4 servings

40 minutes total

Ingredients

•
• 1 tbsp kosher salt for the pasta water
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 12 oz lean ground pork
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp capers, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan, divided
• 1/2 cup reserved pasta water, plus more as needed
• 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
• 1/4 cup torn fresh basil leaves

Method

Prepare the pasta water
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt it with 1 tbsp kosher salt, then keep the water at a steady boil while you start the pork and vegetables.
Look for: The water is steadily boiling and the salt has dissolved.
Brown the pork
Heat the olive oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground pork, black pepper, and oregano; break the meat into small pieces and cook until browned with no pink remaining, about 5 minutes.
Look for: Small browned crumbles form and the pork has no pink centers.
Soften the onion
Add the sliced onion to the skillet and cook, stirring often, until it softens and begins to turn translucent, about 3 minutes. Leave the browned pork and its flavorful pan juices in place.
Look for: The onion bends easily and its edges look translucent.
Cook the vegetables
Add zucchini and red pepper and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they lose their raw edge but still hold their shape. Add cherry tomatoes and cook 2 minutes until some skins wrinkle and juices release.
Look for: Vegetables are bright and tender-crisp, with a little tomato juice in the skillet.
Add garlic and capers
Stir in the garlic and capers and cook for 30 to 45 seconds, scraping the skillet. Remove the pan from the heat if the garlic starts to brown before the pasta is ready.
Look for: Garlic smells fragrant and stays pale; capers are distributed through the vegetables.
Cook the cavatelli
Add 12 oz dried cavatelli to the boiling salted water and cook to the package's al dente time, usually 8 to 12 minutes; taste near the early end. If using the fresh-cavatelli alternative, cook about 2 to 4 minutes, until tender but still springy.
Look for: The pasta is tender at the center but still offers a slight bite. Start checking fresh cavatelli after 2 minutes; dried pasta may need the full package time.
Reserve water and drain
Before draining, scoop out at least 1/2 cup pasta water. Drain the cavatelli without rinsing so its starchy surface can help bind the pan sauce.
Look for: The reserved water looks lightly cloudy from the pasta starch.
Toss into a light sauce
Set the skillet over medium-low heat and add the drained cavatelli, 1/4 cup pasta water, lemon zest, lemon juice, and 1/4 cup Parmesan. Toss for 1 to 2 minutes, adding more pasta water a splash at a time until the sauce lightly coats the pasta and vegetables.
Look for: The sauce looks glossy and clings lightly instead of pooling at the skillet bottom.
Balance the seasoning
Taste a vegetable and a pasta piece together before adding the 1/4 tsp salt; capers, Parmesan, and salted pasta water already contribute salt. Add only as much of that measured salt as needed, then fold in half the basil.
Look for: The salty accents are distinct but do not overwhelm the pork and vegetables.
Finish and serve
Divide among warm bowls and finish with the remaining Parmesan and basil. Serve immediately with extra pasta water at the table to loosen any portions that tighten as they stand.
Look for: Pasta is glossy, vegetables remain plentiful, and the basil smells fresh.