Charred Asparagus Pasta

A plate with creamy asparagus pasta and utensils, and partial view of lemon, cheese and a wood juicer.

This charred asparagus pasta is an easy, simple recipe with bright, delicious flavor. Roasted asparagus is perfectly paired with a velvety, lemony sauce, making this pasta dish a state of luxury. This asparagus pasta can be ready in under 30 minutes!

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine Greek, International

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Servings

Calories 588kcal

Author by Jenny Skrapaliori Graves

Ingredients

8 oz green asparagus
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves thinly sliced
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano grated
juice and zest from one lemon
8 oz spaghetti or pasta of choice
sea salt
freshly ground pepper

Instructions

First, trim the asparagus. Remove the tough, woody ends by snapping or cutting the bottom portion of the spear. You can line up the asparagus spears and cut them simultaneously when the green or purple color begins on the stalk for a more consistent cut.
Preheat the oven to 220°C / 425°F.
Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add plenty of sea salt to the boiling water and cook the pasta a minute before al dente.
While pasta cooks, place the trimmed asparagus on a baking sheet and toss with olive oil, freshly ground pepper, chili flakes, and sea salt. Roast in the hot oven for five to ten minutes.
Meanwhile, heat a skillet over high heat. Add the rest of the olive oil and sliced garlic and cook for a minute.
Pour in the heavy cream, and freshly ground pepper. Cook the sauce on high for two to three minutes until it thickens.
Transfer the pasta to the sauce directly from the pot. The salty pasta water transferred over will help thicken and flavor the sauce.
Add the lemon zest and juice, the grated cheese, and toss.
Serve the pasta with a side of charred asparagus, extra lemon wedges and grated parmesan.

Notes

- No need to keep the asparagus long. Chop diagonally into about ⅓-inch (1 cm) thick slices. Leave the tips whole, about 2 inches long (5 cm).
- Asparagus tastes best the day of purchase. If you need to use it the next day, store it upright in a glass container with a few inches of water to keep it fresh.Trim the bottoms first, just as we do with flowers.
- Don't throw away the bottom woody part of the asparagus. It’s full of flavor and great to add to soups and stocks.
- Not a fan of heavy cream? Use pasta water, a little butter and grated parmigiana to thicken the sauce, like a pasta Alfredo.
- In the unlikely event you have leftover asparagus, it will last one day in the refrigerator. Crisp it up for a couple of minutes in a hot pan with a bit of olive oil and add to a green salad, rice, or the leftover pasta.
- Cream sauces tend not to hold up well after freezing, so I don't recommend freezing any leftovers. The sauce will change texture, and the pasta might lose its firmness and break into pieces.

The nutritional analysis is only an estimate based on available ingredients and the recipe’s preparation.

Nutrition