**Pasta with Asparagus and Lemon Sauce: A Refreshing and Flavorful Dish**
Indulge in the vibrant flavors of spring with our delectable pasta with asparagus and lemon sauce. This dish combines tender asparagus, zesty lemon, and creamy sauce to create a symphony of flavors that will tantalize your taste buds. Whether you're looking for a quick and easy weeknight meal or a special dish to impress your guests, this recipe is sure to satisfy. Discover the art of preparing this delightful pasta dish, along with variations and additional recipes that explore the versatility of asparagus and lemon. From a classic lemon butter sauce to a creamy asparagus pesto, let your culinary journey begin with this comprehensive guide to pasta with asparagus and lemon sauce.
PASTA WITH ASPARAGUS AND LEMON SAUCE
A quick midweek vegetarian pasta dish with asparagus and a creamy lemon sauce. I always use organic lemons whenever I use the zest.
Provided by barbara
Categories Main Dish Recipes Pasta
Time 40m
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Zest and juice 1 1/2 lemons. Cut remaining lemon half into wedges and set aside.
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add penne and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of cooking water.
- While penne is cooking, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a pot over medium heat and cook asparagus until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and remove from pot.
- Add remaining 3 tablespoons butter and heat until a pinch of flour sprinkled into the pot will just begin to bubble. Whisk in flour to form a thick paste the consistency of cake frosting. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, for about 5 minutes. Whisk in cream and vegetable broth and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Stir lemon juice, lemon zest, and parsley into the sauce; season with salt, pepper, and sugar. Add asparagus and heat through, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and penne to the sauce and pour in some of the reserved cooking water. Serve with shaved Parmesan and lemon wedges.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 810.8 calories, Carbohydrate 103.8 g, Cholesterol 108.1 mg, Fat 37.2 g, Fiber 10.5 g, Protein 24.8 g, SaturatedFat 21.8 g, Sodium 512 mg, Sugar 9 g
LEMONY PASTA WITH ASPARAGUS AND WHITE BEANS
Marinating canned white beans in lemon juice and zest, along with red-pepper flakes and shallots, imbues them with brightness and a touch of heat, adding so much flavor to this warm-weather pasta. It's dead simple to make: While the pasta cooks and the beans marinate, sauté the asparagus in olive oil, then use that pan to finish the dish. There's enough asparagus in the mix to make this a one-pan meal, but serving it with a crisp green salad on the side will add a little crunch and freshness.
Provided by Melissa Clark
Categories dinner, noodles, pastas, main course
Time 30m
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Grate the zest from the lemon into a small bowl. Halve the lemon and squeeze the juice from half of it on top of the zest. Add the white beans, shallot or onion, grated garlic, red-pepper flakes and a large pinch of salt and toss well. Drizzle in 1 tablespoon olive oil and set aside.
- Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until just shy of al dente, usually 2 minutes less than the package directs.
- Meanwhile, heat a 12-inch sauté pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add the remaining 3 tablespoons oil, then add the asparagus. Sauté until the asparagus is tender and starting to brown at the edges, 7 to 10 minutes. Add a big pinch of salt and the sliced garlic and sauté until the garlic is lightly golden, 1 to 2 minutes longer.
- Dip a coffee mug or glass measuring cup into the pasta water and scoop out about 1/2 cup of it to use for the sauce. Drain pasta, shaking it well. Add pasta, bean mixture, parsley and Parmesan to sauté pan and cook until the beans are hot and the pasta is al dente. If the mixture looks dry, splash in some (or all) of the reserved pasta water. Squeeze remaining lemon half over pasta, toss and taste. Season with pepper; add more salt, red-pepper flakes and lemon juice, if desired.
LEMON ASPARAGUS PASTA
Bright lemony flavor. Easy to make and can sit out during warm weather. Can be served hot, warm, or cold.
Provided by Chop Suey
Categories Side Dish
Time 30m
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a boil. Stir in penne and return to a boil. Cook pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes. Penne will still be slightly firm.
- Stir asparagus into the pot with the boiling penne pasta and bring back to a boil; cook until pasta is tender and asparagus is softened but still bright green, about 3 more minutes. Drain pasta and asparagus.
- Place penne and asparagus into a large bowl; lightly stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, salt, and black pepper until thoroughly combined.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 377.6 calories, Carbohydrate 45 g, Cholesterol 8.8 mg, Fat 17.8 g, Fiber 3.8 g, Protein 12.7 g, SaturatedFat 3.9 g, Sodium 157.7 mg, Sugar 3 g
THE BEST ASPARAGUS LEMON PASTA
I came across this at Epicurious and fell in love, and its been elsewhere. Years of looking for the lemon pasta I remembered as a child, and finally found it. Tweaked it a little to my own taste, replacing parsley with fresh basil and using linguine. If you don't have tender asparagus, the europes best frozen ones are far better than woody fresh ones. Do NOT substitute lighter creams, it just does not work that well.
Provided by MarraMamba
Categories One Dish Meal
Time 30m
Yield 4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Cut the asparagus into 1/2 inch slices on the diagonal, or just into 3 pieces.
- In a steamer set over boiling water steam asparagus, covered, until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes.Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. set aside.
- In a 6-quart kettle bring 5 quarts salted water to a boil for pasta.
- In a deep 12-inch skillet heat butter and cream over moderately low heat until butter is melted and stir in zest, lemon juice, and salt. Remove skillet from heat and keep sauce warm, covered.
- Add pasta to boiling water and boil, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Ladle 1/4 cup pasta water into sauce and drain pasta in colander.
- Immediately add pasta and asparagus to sauce and cook over moderate heat, tossing, 1 minute, or until heated through. Add basil and salt and pepper to taste and toss well.
- Sprinkle pasta with a little Parmesan and serve more Parmesan on the side.
PASTA ALFREDO WITH LEMON AND ASPARAGUS
This simple one-pot pasta features fresh asparagus and is as lovely to look at as it is delicious to eat. Serve smaller portions of this creamy pasta as a first course, or make it a luxurious main dish.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Quick & Easy Recipes
Time 35m
Yield Serves 4
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- In a bowl, whisk together egg yolks, cream, cheese, lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper to combine.
- In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta 2 minutes less than per package instructions. Add asparagus; cook until bright green and tender, about 2 minutes more. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water; drain.
- Return pasta and asparagus to pot along with egg mixture. Toss until well combined, adding a few tablespoons of pasta water at a time until sauce coats pasta. Add lemon juice; season to taste. Serve immediately, with more cheese, pepper, and lemon zest.
PASTA WITH ASPARAGUS-LEMON SAUCE
Steps:
- Cut asparagus into 1-inch pieces, reserving tips separately. Cook asparagus stems in 5 to 6 quarts boiling water with 2 tablespoons salt until very tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a colander, reserving cooking water in pot, and rinse under cold water. Drain asparagus well and transfer to a food processor or blender.
- Cook asparagus tips in same boiling water until just tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer with slotted spoon to colander, reserving boiling water in pot, and rinse under cold water. Drain tips well.
- Purée asparagus stems with zest, oil, and 1/2 cup asparagus cooking water. Transfer sauce to a 4-quart saucepan.
- Cook pasta in boiling asparagus cooking water until it still offers considerable resistance to the tooth, around three fourths of the recommended cooking time. Reserve 2 cups cooking water and drain pasta.
- Add pasta, asparagus tips, and 1/2 cup reserved water to asparagus sauce and cook over high heat, stirring, 3 to 5 minutes, or until pasta is almost al dente and sauce coats pasta. Add more cooking water, 1/4 cup at a time, until sauce coats pasta but is a little loose (the cheese will thicken it slightly).
- Stir in Parmigiano-Reggiano and salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring, until cheese is melted.
- Serve immediately.
Tips:
- Choose thin asparagus spears: Thicker spears can be tough and fibrous, so opt for thin spears that are tender and easy to eat.
- Trim the asparagus properly: Cut off the woody ends of the asparagus spears, about 1-2 inches from the bottom. You can also peel the asparagus spears if desired, but this is not necessary.
- Cook the asparagus al dente: Asparagus should be cooked until it is tender but still has a slight crunch. Overcooked asparagus will be mushy and lose its flavor.
- Use a good quality lemon: The lemon juice and zest are key ingredients in this sauce, so use the best quality lemons you can find.
- Don't overcook the sauce: The sauce should be cooked just until it thickens slightly. Overcooking the sauce will make it too thick and gloopy.
- Serve the pasta immediately: Pasta is best served immediately after it is cooked. If you need to wait a few minutes before serving, toss the pasta with a little olive oil to prevent it from sticking together.
Conclusion:
This pasta with asparagus and lemon sauce is a delicious and easy-to-make dish that is perfect for a weeknight meal. The asparagus is tender and flavorful, the lemon sauce is light and refreshing, and the Parmesan cheese adds a nice touch of richness. This dish is sure to please everyone at your table.
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