Celebrate fresh, seasonal ingredients as you create a vibrant dish full of flavors and colors with my Pasta Primavera with Asparagus recipe. Sauté tender asparagus, garlic and green peas, then toss them with al dente pasta and a light, citrus sauce. This Pasta Primavera is perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or an elegant meal with friends. If you want a creamier version of this dish, try making my Creamy Pasta with Asparagus and Bacon.
Take advantage of the Asparagus season with a delicious Asparagus Mushroom Soup, or my very popular Alfredo Asparagus Bundles. Impress your friends or family this weekend with an way to make Ham and Asparagus Quiche!
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Ingredients
Find below the short list of fresh ingredients that I used to make this Pasta Primavera with Asparagus recipe.
- Rigatoni Pasta (or other medium-sized pasta)
- Pasta Cooking Water
- Onion
- Garlic
- Fresh Asparagus
- Frozen Green Peas
- Lemon Juice
- Parmesan Cheese
- Fresh Dill (or other fresh herbs like parsley, oregano and basil)
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Start making the Pasta Primavera with Asparagus by cooking the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water, following the instructions on the packaging.
Chop up the onion, garlic, and asparagus before starting to cook, because it comes together very fast.
Place a large frying pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Drizzle olive oil in the pan and add the garlic and onion. Cook until onions are translucent.
Add the chopped asparagus to the pan and cook for another 2 minutes.
Place the frozen peas into the pan and cook until they have thawed and have warmed through.
Sprinkle the veggies with seasoning. Deglaze the pan with the lemon juice.
Drain the pasta, making sure to keep a cup of the pasta water. Add the pasta to the pan with the veggies.
Sprinkle in the freshly grated parmesan and stir it in the liquids of the pan to create a sauce which lightly coats the pasta. Drizzle in some of the pasta water if needed.
Once everything has heated though, turn off the heat. Add in the chopped fresh dill or herb of your choice. Stir until well distributed. Serve the Pasta Primavera with Asparagus right away.
Substitutions and Variations
Make this Pasta Primavera your own by swapping out or adding in ingredients.
- Vegetables - Use more traditional vegetables for Primavera like Bell Pepper, Broccoli, Tomato, Zucchini.
- Pasta - Prepare your favorite pasta for this dish, whether long, short, or gluten free.
- Protein - Add a sliced grilled chicken breast, steak, or your favorite protein.
- Sauce - Feel free to add in some prepared tomato sauce with the cooked veggies before adding in the pasta if you prefer things a little more saucy.
- Cheese - Although the parmesan cheese melts with the pasta water to create the "sauce", using crumbled Feta Cheese (or other grated cheeses), in this recipe would be amazing!
Store the Pasta Primavera with Asparagus
Store any leftover Pasta Primavera with Asparagus in an airtight containers. Place in the refrigerator for 2-3 days or in the freezer for up to a month.
Recipe
Pasta Primavera with Asparagus
Ingredients
- 200 grams Uncooked Rigatoni Pasta
- 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
- ½ medium Red Onion diced
- 4 cloves Garlic fined diced
- 300 grams Asparagus
- 1 cup Frozen Green Peas
- 2 tablespoon Lemon Juice from 1 lemon
- 1 tsp Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Pepper
- 1 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
- 3 tablespoon Fresh Dill finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon Fresh Parsley finely chopped
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta as per the directions on the package.
- Chop up the onion, garlic, and asparagus before starting to cook, because it comes together very fast.
- Place a large frying pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Drizzle olive oil in the pan and add the garlic and onion. Cook until onions are translucent.
- Add the chopped asparagus to the pan and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Place the frozen peas into the pan and cook until they have thawed and have warmed through.
- Add the salt and pepper to the veggies and then deglaze the pan with the lemon juice.
- Drain the pasta, making sure to keep a cup of the pasta water. Add the pasta and ¼ cup of the pasta water to the pan with the veggies.
- Sprinkle in the freshly grated parmesan and stir it in, until it melts into the liquids and it starts to coat the pasta.
- Once everything has heated though, turn off the heat. Add in the chopped fresh herbs. Stir until well distributed and serve right away.
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