Pasta, asparagus, lemon and cheese are some of the key ingredients you need to make this Creamy Asparagus Pasta. A healthy pasta recipe without any cream!
⅔cuppecorino romano cheese or parmesan cheesegrated
lemon zestfor 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.
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is just a rough estimate and variations can occur depending on the specific ingredients used.