Pasta, asparagus, lemon and cheese are some of the key ingredients you need to make this Creamy Asparagus Pasta. That’s right! A delicious and healthy pasta sauce recipe without cream! Are you intrigued?
If I told you that you can create a luscious, creamy pasta sauce without cream that tastes amazing, would you believe me?
As you probably know, I love to transform seasonal vegetables into creamy sauces, all without the addition of cream or milk.
I have previously shared with you how a healthy pasta dinner can easily be made with this Roasted Red Pepper Sauce, this Quick Tomato Sauce or this Cherry Tomato Sauce.
I am thrilled to finally share another one of my favorites -a delicious pasta with asparagus recipe.
This is a simple pasta meal that comes together in under 30 minutes!
Are you as excited as I am? I can’t wait to share…
Instructions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. While waiting for this to happen, prepare the asparagus.
Rinse the asparagus (1 bunch, about 2 pounds), snap off and discard the tough ends.
Cut off the tips, about 1½ inches from the rest of the stalk and set aside.
When the water comes to a rolling boil, cook the stalks for about 5-6 minutes or until tender. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Cook the pasta (1 pound) in the same water according to package instructions. The pasta of choice today is Gemelli, Italian for twins. As you can see, two strands of pasta are intertwined together.
Add the asparagus tips during the last 2 minutes of cooking.
While the pasta cooks, puree the cooked stalks with the lemon juice (⅓ cup), olive oil (⅓ cup) and roasted garlic clove (optional). Note: I always have a roasted garlic head in my refrigerator and often use the cloves as a flavor enhancer.
The use of a handheld blender creates the perfect asparagus puree – such a smooth consistency!
Reserve 1 cup of cooking liquid and drain the pasta. Return pasta to the same pot. Add the sauce to the drained pasta and combine. Use pasta water if sauce appears too thick.
Add the grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese (⅔ cup). Toss to combine and adjust seasonings.
Transfer to a serving bowl and serve immediately.
Garnish with extra cheese and lemon zest (if desired).
Tips
- Use high-quality olive oil. The fruitiness of the olive oil pairs well with the mild earthy undertones of asparagus.
- Use short textured pasta. Any short pasta with ridges works really well with vegetable pasta dishes like this one. The little crevices make it the perfect vehicle to capture the sauce. Cavatelli is another great choice.
Easy asparagus recipes we love
Recipe origins
As a dietitian with a strong Italian upbringing, I love combining pasta with different vegetables. As a result, I sometimes get carried away when local, seasonal vegetables are available.
One of the vegetables this often happens with is fresh asparagus.
Over the years, my daughter developed a reputation of making the best asparagus pesto, inspired by a Mark Bittman recipe… stay tuned!
She also adapted this asparagus pasta recipe from the Moosewood Restaurant Favorites Cookbook. It is now a family favorite recipe, especially in the spring.
Light tasting, vibrant looking and so delicious… the perfect spring asparagus recipe!
I hope you get a chance to try it!
THANKS SO MUCH for following and being part of the She Loves Biscotti community where you will find Simple & Tasty Family-Friendly Recipes with an Italian Twist.
Ciao for now,
Maria
★★★★★ If you have made this asparagus and pasta recipe, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!
Creamy Asparagus Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 pounds asparagus
- 1 pound pasta 454 grams, short shaped pasta
- ⅓ cup lemon juice freshly squeezed
- ⅓ cup olive oil extra virgin, for the sauce
- 1 clove garlic oven roasted (optional)
- ⅔ cup pecorino romano cheese or parmesan cheese grated
- lemon zest for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Over high heat, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil.
- While waiting for the water to boil, let's prep the asparagus.
- Rinse the asparagus, snap off and discard the tough ends. Cut off the tips (about 1½ inches) from the rest of the stalk and set aside.
- When the water comes to a rolling boil, cook the asparagus stalks for about 5-6 minutes or until tender. Remove with slotted spoon and set aside.
- Cook the pasta in the same water according to package instructions. Add the asparagus tips during the last 2 minutes of cooking.
- While the pasta cooks, use a hand held blender to puree the cooked asparagus stalks, lemon juice, olive oil and roasted garlic clove together until a smooth consistency is achieved.
- Reserve 1 cup of cooking liquid and drain the pasta.
- Return the drained pasta to the pot, add the sauce and combine. Use pasta water if sauce appears too thick.
- Add the grated cheese. Toss to combine.
- Transfer to serving bowl and serve immediately. Garnished with extra grated cheese and/or lemon zest.
Video
Notes
- Use a high-quality olive oil. The fruitiness of the olive oil pairs well with the mild earthy undertones of asparagus.
- Use short textured pasta. Any short pasta with ridges works really well with vegetable pasta dishes. The little crevices make it the perfect vehicle to capture the sauce.
Nutrition
Barb Butler
I loved this and will make it again, but I did “up” the roasted garlic to 3 large cloves. I used linguini noodles and did mix the entire portion of sauce in, but next time I’d spoon the sauce over each portion of noodles – or maybe make extra sauce to put on top of each for added appeal. I also added in some cooked chicken.
Maria
Thanks for sharing Barb! Glad to hear you enjoyed the pasta dish.
Donna Marie
This was delicious, Maria!! Thank you for sharing.
Maria
How wonderful Donna Marie! Thanks for sharing!
Louise Samson
Yet another winner!
I did not have roasted garlic on hand and was a bit rushed SO….I cheated. You and your daughter inspired me: after puréeing the asparagus, I used some homemade pesto I had, mixing it in the same bowl, dumped everything with the pasta and FEASTED! My husband LOVES this. The lemon zest for garnish makes the dish stand out even more.
Grazie mille, Maria. Ancora!
Maria
Yeah!!! I am so happy to read this. Thanks so much for taking the time to share Louise, truly appreciate it.
michelle
LOVE this!! And especially that it’s so so healthy. A cream sauce without all the fat and stomachaches (for us dairy-haters out there).
I may have used a teeny bit too much asparagus, and I had a ton of sauce– enough for quite a bit more pasta. Which is great!
This is now on my keepers list.
Thank you so much!
Maria
I am so thrilled to read this! Thanks Michelle!
Marina
Delicious! Thank you so much for this recipe! Sent it to all my friends, going to cook again and again 😍
Haley
This was a fun dish overall! I would never think to puree the asparagus to make a cream sauce! My only question is would there be anything else to use besides lemon juice? My husband really does not like lemon and had a hard time getting it down. I quite enjoyed it, but I want to make it again!
Maria
Thanks Haley. Perhaps you can try reducing the total amount to just 1 tablespoon. After portioning the pasta, you can always squeeze a little bit more of the lemon juice over your portion. You can also try experimenting with some of your favorite fresh herbs. Classic asparagus pairings are mint, basil and chives. YOu can also consider adding some spices like paprika and chili if you like some heat. Thanks so much for stopping by.
Val
This is such a great looking pasta dish and I love that there is no cream in the sauce. Can’t wait to try it! Thanks Maria!
Maria
Thanks so much Val! Hope you get a chance to try this asparagus pasta. Appreciate you dropping by, thanks!
Karen (Back Road Journal)
A delicious way to use one of my favorite vegetables…your creamy asparagus pasta sounds great.
Maria
Thanks so much Karen, appreciate you taking the time to stop by ♥