Begin by boiling a large pot of salted water over high heat. Once boiling, add the dried penne pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta but reserve about half a cup of the starchy cooking water; this will help create a creamy sauce later.
In a large skillet over medium heat, pour in the extra virgin olive oil and allow it to heat up slightly before adding in the sliced red onion. Sauté for about 2-3 minutes until it begins to soften, then add in the carrot strips, broccoli pieces, red bell pepper slices, yellow squash, zucchini, and minced garlic. Stir frequently until all vegetables are tender yet still crisp.
Add in the halved grape tomatoes along with the dried Italian herbs to your sautéed vegetable mixture in the skillet. Stir everything together gently so that all components are well combined before pouring in half a cup of reserved pasta water along with fresh lemon juice.
Now it's time to add your cooked penne pasta into the skillet with vegetables and sauce mixture. Sprinkle half of the grated parmesan cheese over everything as you toss it all together until evenly coated; this will help thicken up your sauce.
Once everything is beautifully combined and heated through, remove from heat and sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley for an added pop of color and freshness. Serve immediately while warm alongside additional parmesan cheese if desired; enjoy your homemade Delicious Pasta Primavera!