Recipe Card
The Best Lemon Asparagus Pasta — Ready in 30 Minutes
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Serves
- 4
- Calories
- 610 kcal
- Protein
- 18.00 g
- Carbs
- 70.00 g
- Fat
- 31.00 g
Ingredients
- 10 ouncesspaghetti
- 2 medium-largelemons
- 6.5 tablespoonsextra virgin olive oil
- —Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- 0.5 teaspoonDijon mustard
- 2 mediumshallots, thinly sliced
- 4 clovesgarlic, thinly sliced
- 0.25 teaspoonred pepper flakes
- 1 bunchasparagus, sliced thinly
- 0.5 cuptoasted walnuts, finely crushed
- 3 tablespoonsnutritional yeast
- 0.5 cupItalian flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 0.5 cupfresh basil leaves, slivered
- 2 tablespoonscapers, drained
- 0.25 cupCastelvetrano olives, sliced in half
- 1 cannavy beans or other white beans, rinsed and drained
Instructions
- 1
Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Add a generous amount of salt. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions, stirring occasionally, until just al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.
- 2
Zest the lemons and divide the zest into two piles. Set aside.
- 3
Meanwhile, make the Lemon Sauce. In a mason jar, combine 5 tablespoons of the lemon juice, 5 tablespoons of the extra virgin olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and black pepper to taste. Shake until emulsified.
- 4
Cook the asparagus in a sauté pan over medium heat. Once warmed, add the shallots and garlic. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, then add red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds. Add the asparagus and one half of the lemon zest. Season and cook for 3 minutes until the asparagus is crisp-tender.
- 5
Add the hot cooked pasta and the Lemon Sauce to the asparagus mixture, along with the crushed walnuts and nutritional yeast. Add pasta water as needed, and toss until the sauce is emulsified.
- 6
Add the remaining lemon zest, basil, parsley, capers, olives, and white beans, if using. Toss again and briefly cook for 30 to 60 seconds. Serve immediately.