Lemon Asparagus Pasta

This six-ingredient lemon asparagus pasta dish is "carbonara creamy" and loaded with just what you'd expect - garlic, asparagus and fresh lemon.

Double or triple the recipe for an easy meal for entertaining inside - or al fresco in the backyard.

How to make lemon asparagus pasta

Ingredients

• Pasta: When it comes to simple recipes like this that have very few ingredients, let your wallet be your guide for the best pasta you can find.
  • Maybe stick your head into a local food specialty shop, and see what they have for fresh or boxed pasta.
  • The building block of this dish is the spaghetti, so feel free to splurge on what really appeals to you.
• Olive Oil: We all know that certain television personality and cookbook author who always recommends, “really good olive oil.”
  • (Hint, it’s Ina Garten!) In case you’ve ever wondered what she means by “really good,” she means her personal favorite Olio Santo Olive Oil from California.
  • She loves the fruitiness of the olive oil. But, again, splurge for the best stuff to your taste that your wallet will give a thumbs up to.
  • Whether it’s Italian olive oil, or a domestic brand, cook with what makes you happy.
• Parmesan: Spring for the best stuff you can afford.
  • The older the parmesan, the more crystallization you get. Crystallization equals flavor.
  • Look for Parmigiano-Reggiano that’s been aged for at least 24 months.
• Egg yolks: This gives the rich, decadent flavor and 'sauce' of carbonara!
  • You'll want to make all of your pasta with egg yolks.
• Freshly-Cracked Black Pepper: This isn’t a recipe where you want old and dusty black pepper that’s pre-ground and lives on the back of the stove. (I’d actually argue that about any recipe!)
  • This is a recipe that screams out for freshly ground black pepper – and a decent amount of it.
• Lemons: Fresh lemons are always the way to go!
  • Bottled lemon juice just doesn’t have the same oomph as a freshly squeezed lemon.
  • Plus, has there ever been a time when the scent of freshly squeezed lemon juice hit your nose and you didn’t sigh with joy?

Equipment

• A cutting board and chef's knife.
• A stove.
• A large stock pot for cooking the asparagus and pasta.
• A colander and spider or slotted spoon.
• A medium to large bowl filled with ice water.
• Measuring cups and spoons or you can wing it.
• A microplane for zesting the lemon and shredding Parmesan.
• A glass measuring cup or mug to scoop out some pasta water.
• Tongs for tossing the spaghetti.
• Bowls and forks for serving.

Serving Tips

• This recipe is vegetarian, but if you wanted to add a hit of smoky bacon to the bright and sunny pasta, go ahead. It will be delicious!
• Adding bacon and peas for even more of a kiss of springtime flavor would be fabulous.
• Serving a good crusty bread with the pasta would be amazing.
• Do you know what would be even better than just crusty rustic bread with this pasta?
  • A lemon compound butter to spread on the bread! It takes just a minute to make, but it really elevates everything it touches.
• And for dessert, lean into the simplicity of the meal by serving an elegant fruit salad.
  • A simple salad of strawberries, peaches, melon, and basil would be the perfect ending to the meal of lemon asparagus pasta.

Recipe Substitutions & Alterations

• To make it gluten free: Use gluten free pasta and assure all other packaged ingredients are gluten free.
• To make it dairy free: Skip the Parmesan and try it with nutritional yeast instead.
• To make it vegan: Skip the Parmesan and try it with nutritional yeast instead. Also skip the egg yolks and just add a bit more olive oil to finish the dish.
• To make it high in protein: Serve with grilled or sauteed salmon or chicken. Use protein-fortified pasta.

Storage and Reheating Suggestions

• Let slightly cool before transfering the pasta leftovers to airtight containers.
• Pasta will hold up in the refrigerator up to 5 days.
• Reheat individual servings in the microwave 60-90 seconds or until heated through.
• I wouldn't recommend freezing this pasta.

Tip for making the best pasta with asparagus and lemon

• Cook the pasta just a hair under al dente so it doesn't overcook when you add it back to the pot with the pasta water and other ingredients.
• This recipe is made "carbonara style", meaning the spaghetti is tossed in egg yolks and Parmesan at the end of the cooking process.
• In order to avoid making scrambled eggs, remove the pot from the heat and toss the egg yolks into the spaghetti using tongs.
• Some people transfer the spaghetti to a bowl, then adding the egg yolks to avoid scrambling, but I've found my method fool proof!
• Just be sure to remove the pot from the heat first rather than adding the egg yolks while it's still on the stove.

Asparagus Recipe Round-Up

• Air Fryer Asparagus Fritters
• Asparagus-Stuffed Chicken with Roasted Fingerling Potatoes
• Asparagus Sausage Quiche
• Caprese Pasta Salad with Asparagus Pesto
• And a post about eating more green veggies, if you're interested

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