20-Minute Lemon Asparagus Pasta for Spring Comfort
Make this quick, restorative lemon asparagus pasta for a light yet satisfying dinner after a long shift. It uses fresh spring asparagus and bright citrus notes.
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 15 min
- Total Time: 20 min
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz spaghetti or linguine
- 1 bunch fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- Zest of 1 large lemon
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 1/4 cup reserved pasta water
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. In the last 3 minutes of cooking, add the cut asparagus to the boiling water with the pasta.
- Before draining, reserve 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta and asparagus and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Do not let the garlic brown.
- Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the fresh lemon juice and lemon zest.
- Add the drained pasta and asparagus to the skillet. Toss to coat.
- Add the grated Parmesan cheese and 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water. Toss quickly until a light sauce forms, adding more pasta water one tablespoon at a time if the sauce seems too dry.
- Season with salt and black pepper to your taste. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan cheese.
Notes
- For a richer flavor, use high-quality aged Parmesan cheese.
- If you do not have fresh asparagus, you can substitute with 1 cup of frozen peas added during the last minute of pasta cooking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 350
- Fat: 16
- Saturated Fat: 9
- Unsaturated Fat: 7
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 62
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 18
- Cholesterol: 35