One-Pan Lemon Garlic Asparagus Pasta
A convenient and flavorful pasta dish cooked entirely in one pan, featuring tender asparagus, bright lemon, and aromatic garlic, perfect for a quick weeknight meal.
Ingredients
- •2 tablespoon olive oil
- •0.5 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- •4 garlic cloves, minced
- •0.25 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- •4 cup vegetable broth
- •1 cup water
- •12 oz linguine or spaghetti, uncooked
- •1 lb asparagus, tough ends trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- •1 large lemon, zested and juiced
- •0.5 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- •0.25 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- • to taste salt
- • to taste black pepper, freshly ground
Instructions
- 1.
Heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced yellow onion and cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes.
- 2.
Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes (if using) and cook for another minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
- 3.
Pour in the vegetable broth and water. Add the uncooked linguine or spaghetti, salt, and black pepper. Stir to ensure the pasta is submerged in the liquid.
- 4.
Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover the skillet and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the pasta from sticking.
- 5.
Uncover and continue to simmer, stirring more frequently, for another 5-7 minutes, or until the pasta is nearly al dente and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
- 6.
Stir in the trimmed and cut asparagus pieces. Continue to cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring, until the asparagus is crisp-tender and the pasta is perfectly al dente, with just a little sauce remaining.
- 7.
Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and 0.5 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
- 8.
Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve immediately, garnished with fresh chopped parsley and extra Parmesan cheese on the side.
Tips
- 💡**Pasta Type**: While linguine or spaghetti work well, you can experiment with other long, thin pasta shapes like fettuccine or even short pasta like penne (though cooking times may vary slightly).
- 💡**Don't Overcook Asparagus**: Add the asparagus towards the end of the cooking process to ensure it remains vibrant, crisp-tender, and doesn't become mushy.
- 💡**Stirring is Key**: For one-pan pasta, frequent stirring (especially after uncovering) prevents the pasta from sticking together and ensures even cooking and absorption of the sauce.
- 💡**Liquid Adjustment**: If your pasta absorbs liquid faster or slower, you might need to add a splash more broth/water or cook a minute or two longer to reach your desired consistency and pasta doneness.
- 💡**Flavor Boost**: For an extra layer of flavor, you can add 0.5 cup of dry white wine along with the broth and water in step 3 (reduce broth by 0.5 cup to maintain liquid ratio).
Recipe from TheCookbook.ai
Created by Basil Roux