Lemon Asparagus Pasta: A Summer Delight

As the flowers start to bloom and the warm weather calls us outdoors, it’s time to savor delightful dinners that are both effortless and packed with flavor! We start craving that vibrant taste of summer, and what better way to enjoy it than with a pasta dish that shines like the season itself? With four star ingredients—pasta, asparagus, peas, and a zesty hint of lemon—we’ve crafted a delightful recipe that’s sure to impress! This summer pasta is not just a meal; it’s a colorful celebration on your plate, twirling with freshness and bursting with taste. Get ready for a delicious summer food adventure with this bright and easy lemon asparagus pasta that will have everyone asking for seconds!!!! #sponsored

The four-star ingredients

Pasta

Pasta dishes are the ultimate summer meal showstoppers, and nothing beats the excitement of twirling a delicious lemon asparagus pasta on your fork! #TwirlWorthySfoglini It makes dinner a fun experience for everyone! We’re big fans of pasta, and we truly believe that using the best-tasting pasta is essential. For this recipe, we used Sfoglini Pasta in the Bigoli shape. This organic semolina delight is not just flavorful; it’s four times thicker than spaghetti, making it a dream for sauce-holding and perfectly twirling! Get ready to savor every bite of this lemon asparagus pasta!

Lemon

For this lemon asparagus pasta dish, we used two juicy lemons along with the zest of one lemon.  Using both lemon juice and lemon zest brings a burst of vibrant flavor that elevates the pasta to exhilarating new heights!  The lemon zest not only adds brightness but does so without the added acidity. During the sunny summer months, lemons become our go-to ingredient in countless dishes! One of the most fun tricks is grilling lemons to infuse a hint of smoky goodness into the juice. 

Asparagus and Peas

Nothing screams spring and summer quite like vibrant, fresh asparagus and sweet peas! That’s why we just had to include them in our zesty lemon asparagus pasta. I’m a huge fan of asparagus roasted with a splash of olive oil and a pinch of salt, and in this dish, it adds a nice crunch and burst of flavor.  We opted for frozen peas in this recipe, but fresh sugar snap peas would also work and add an exciting crunch. The beautiful harmony of lemon, asparagus, and peas with the Sfoglini Bigoli pasta is a flavor-packed delight!

How We Made This Twirl-Worthy Lemon Asparagus Pasta

Get ready to impress your family and friends with this easy twirl-worthy flavor-packed pasta recipe. Shhh—your guests will never guess how simple it was to whip up.  This dish is ready in under 20 minutes, including the time it takes to boil the water.  Imagine having more time to enjoy the outdoors while still serving a delicious meal!  

I love to gather all my ingredients before I start cooking—it's like setting the stage for a delicious performance! This also transforms the cooking experience into a fun time. Plus, if I discover I'm missing an ingredient, I'm ready to unleash my creativity! For instance, if I don't have asparagus on hand, I might swap it out for a vibrant Patty Pan squash. For this recipe, I didn't have fresh peas, so I decided to use frozen instead, and they turned out fantastic! Each cooking adventure is a chance to surprise myself and create something amazing!

After all the ingredients are out, start the water to boil. Once the water is boiling, add a couple of Tablespoons of salt and then add the pasta. Cook the pasta according to the package directions.

While the pasta is cooking, start preparing the asparagus. Here comes the fun part—snapping off the ends! No cutting necessary! Just give it a gentle bend, and watch it break at the tough, woody part like magic. I used to peel asparagus with a potato peeler, but let me tell you, that’s a time-consuming task, and you lose so many nutrients in the process! So, let’s keep all that goodness intact and make it easy. After you’ve snapped those ends off, rinse the spears under cold water. Then chop the asparagus spears into bite-sized pieces, making them ready to join the party in your dish. Get excited—deliciousness is just around the corner!

Zest one of the lemons and then cut both lemons in half. Juice the lemons.

When there are about 8 minutes left for the pasta to cook, it's time to start cooking the asparagus. Start by heating the olive oil in a large sauté pan for about 30 seconds to a minute. Next, toss in the garlic and let it sauté for 5 to 10 seconds, releasing that delicious fragrance. Now, it’s time to add the asparagus along with the salt. Depending on their size, they'll take anywhere from 3 to 8 minutes to reach that perfect crispness. We like our asparagus with a snap.  When the asparagus is how you like, toss in the peas and gently stir!

When the pasta is done, save half a cup of the pasta water. Then drain the rest of the pasta. Add the pasta to the pan with the asparagus and peas and toss together. Add the lemon juice and pasta water. Cook until the lemon juice and pasta water have cooked away. Toss in the lemon zest, stir, and remove from the heat.

Top with Parmesan Reggiano cheese, and if you want it spicy, add or serve with some crushed red pepper.

I mean, who doesn't love a twirl-worthy lemon asparagus pasta? Click here to purchase the Sfoglini Pasta and sign up for email to get 10% off.