Asparagus Pasta

You will fall in love with this asparagus pasta because it’s easy to make, yet it’s a restaurant-worthy dish.

The secret to this is making a quick sauce, kind of like an asparagus pesto, with some of the asparagus.

This recipe has no butter or heavy cream, just a bit of parmesan to bring out the asparagus flavor.

We then mix the pasta with the sauce and the rest of the asparagus; the combination of textures is extraordinary.

The blended asparagus enhance the flavor of this wonderful spring vegetable. They add a beautiful bright green color and a velvety texture.

And the best part, you can make this recipe in just about 20 minutes!

Asparagus

If in season, we recommend using fresh asparagus. As an alternative, you can use frozen asparagus.

Pasta

You can use any pasta of your choice. Here we are using farfalle, a short pasta.

We recommend pasta made with 100% semolina/durum wheat flour; imported from Italy is best.

To make the recipe gluten-free, use gluten-free pasta.

Olive oil

We use heart-healthy extra virgin olive oil for cooking the asparagus and making a flavor base with onion and garlic.

Garlic & Onion

Fresh garlic is best; we don’t recommend garlic powder here.

For the onion, you can use yellow or white onion.

Fresh herbs

We love using fresh basil with asparagus. Other fresh herbs that work well are mint, thyme, and parsley.

Lemon

A squeeze of fresh lemon juice brightens up the sauce.

If you love lemon, add some grated lemon zest, and turn this recipe into a mouthwatering lemon asparagus pasta.

Parmesan or vegan cheese

Freshly grated parmesan cheese – we recommend Grana Padano or Parmigiano Reggiano – is the perfect flavor match with the asparagus.

If you are vegan, you can use a non-dairy parmesan cheese alternative or replace the cheese with pine nuts plus a tablespoon of nutritional yeast.

Salt and pepper

Go for sea salt or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

1. Cook asparagus and pasta

First, cut off and discard the woody end (about 1 inch or 2.5 cm) of the asparagus, then cut them into discs, but leave the tips of the spears whole.

In a large skillet, warm up the olive oil, add finely chopped onion, and fry it for 3 minutes on medium heat or until it starts to sweat.

Add asparagus, finely chopped or grated garlic cloves, salt, and black pepper.

Sauté for 1 minute, then add 1 cup of water and cook for 5 more minutes or until the water is gone, stirring occasionally. Add more water if necessary.

The asparagus should be bright green and fork-tender but not overcooked.

Tip: While the asparagus cooks, boil the pasta until al dente in a large pot of salted water.

2. Make the sauce

Add half of the asparagus, basil leaves, grated parmesan, and lemon juice to a food processor.

Blend for 2 minutes or until you get a smooth and creamy sauce. Add some water if necessary to help the blender.

Taste and adjust for salt, lemon, and cheese.

Transfer the asparagus sauce to the skillet with the remaining asparagus.

3. Add the pasta

When the pasta is al dente, reserve 2 cups of pasta cooking water, drain the pasta, and add it to the pan.

Toss on medium heat for about a minute, adding 1 cup of reserved pasta water to make the dish creamy.

Serve with freshly cracked pepper and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Optionally, you can add some grated lemon zest on top to make a delicious lemon asparagus pasta recipe.

Pasta with peas and asparagus

Frozen peas are an excellent protein source and are delicious with asparagus.

So if you want to make your asparagus pasta even more nutritious and fulfilling, add about 1 cup of frozen peas.

You can add the frozen peas to the boiling water with the pasta, so they cook together.

Spinach is another great option; add them to the skillet with the asparagus.

Serve as a main with a fresh salad on the side:

• Chickpea salad (black olives, cherry tomatoes, corn, cucumber, parsley, mustard, etc.)
• Tomato and cucumber salad (red onion, fresh basil, heirloom tomatoes, olive oil, etc.)
• Avocado salad (cherry tomatoes, red onion, lemon, balsamic vinegar, parsley, etc.)
• Artichoke salad (jarred artichokes, red onion, black olives, cherry tomatoes, arugula, etc.)
• Tomato salad (heirloom tomatoes, red onion, balsamic vinegar, basil leaves, etc.)

Serve with seasonal roasted vegetables:

• Roasted zucchini (breadcrumbs, dried thyme, rosemary, garlic powder, olive oil, etc.)
• Grilled eggplant (olive oil, garlic, salt, vinegar, basil leaves, etc.)
• Roasted bell pepper (yellow or red bell pepper, basil, garlic, red wine vinegar, etc.)
• Roasted carrots (cumin, maple syrup, parsley, olive oil, etc.)
• Spring or winter roasted vegetables (cauliflower, carrot, Brussels sprouts, red onion, etc.)

How to cook pasta to perfection?

You’ll need a large pot of salted water as follows:

• 8 ounces of pasta (230 grams): cook pasta in 2 quarts of boiling water (8 cups or 2 Liters) with 1 tablespoon of salt (15 grams). Serves 2 – 3 people.
• 12 ounces of pasta (340 grams): cook pasta in 3 quarts of boiling water (12 cups or 3 Liters) with 1 ½ tablespoons of salt (21 grams). Serves 4 people.
• 1 pound of pasta (450 grams): cook pasta in 1 gallon of boiling water (16 cups or 4 Liters) with 2 tablespoons of salt (30 grams). Serves 5-6 people.

How much pasta per person?

Guidelines recommend 2.1 to 3.5 ounces or 60 to 100 grams of pasta per person, depending on your calorie needs.

Pasta portion sizes vary if you have pasta as a main and only meal or if it’s part of a 2 – 3 course menu.

Also, remember that a simple pasta with tomato and basil will have substantially different calories and macros than baked ziti with cheese and meat.

Here’s a simple summary:

• 3.5 ounces (100 grams) per person if the main meal;
• 2.8/3 ounces (80/90 grams) per person if part of a 2 – 3 course meal;
• 2/2.5 ounces (60/70 grams) per person if part of a 3+ course meal.

Make Ahead: pasta is best eaten right after cooking it, so we don’t recommend making this recipe ahead.

Refrigerator: let the pasta cool down on the skillet, don’t transfer it into a small container while it’s still hot, or it’ll overcook. Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Reheat: warm the pasta in the microwave with a couple of tablespoons of water on top or a skillet with a dash of water.

Freezer: we don’t recommend freezing this recipe.

More Asparagus Recipes

If you love cooking with asparagus, get more green and fresh inspiration from these easy asparagus dishes:

• Steamed asparagus (lemon, salt, pepper, olive oil, etc.)
• Sautéed asparagus (olive oil, lemon, almond flakes, etc.)
• Asparagus risotto (arborio rice, lemon, vegetable broth, parmesan, black pepper, etc.)
• Air fryer asparagus (olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon, parmesan or vegan cheese, etc.)
• Baked asparagus (olive oil, lemon, salt, pepper, etc.)

If you love weeknight-friendly meals, take a look at these quick and easy pasta recipes:

• Easy artichoke pasta (jarred artichoke, shallots, garlic, olives, parmesan, lemon, etc.)
• Pasta Puttanesca (whole peeled tomatoes, olives, capers, parsley, garlic, etc.)
• Spaghetti aglio e olio (parsley, garlic, red pepper flakes, olive oil, etc.)
• Broccoli pasta (orecchiette pasta, red pepper flakes, garlic, parmesan, etc.)
• Penne Arrabbiata (whole peeled tomatoes, pasta penne, red pepper flakes, parsley, etc.)

For many more 30-minute meal ideas, check out our 30-minute meal category page.