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READY IN 30 mins

Lemon Asparagus Pasta

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Read Reviews (11)

"Bright lemony flavor. Easy to make and can sit out during warm weather. Can be served hot, warm, or cold." — Chop Suey

Ingredients Edit and Save

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Original recipe makes 8 servings Change Servings

1 (16 ounce) package penne pasta
1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 large lemon, zested and juiced
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup olive oil
salt to taste
freshly cracked black pepper to taste

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Directions

Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a boil. Stir in penne and return to a boil. Cook pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes. Penne will still be slightly firm.
Stir asparagus into the pot with the boiling penne pasta and bring back to a boil; cook until pasta is tender and asparagus is softened but still bright green, about 3 more minutes. Drain pasta and asparagus.
Place penne and asparagus into a large bowl; lightly stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, salt, and black pepper until thoroughly combined.

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PREP 15 mins
COOK 15 mins
READY IN 30 mins

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Made the recipe just as it stated, and it was not only Delicious, but a huge hit with family members. Made it ahead, then put it in the fridge, then pulled it out to serve (room temp) as a side dish to a Smoked Turkey. Excellent dish to serve over the Summer, or to take to a Potluck.

—binnermurray

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Most Helpful Critical Review

Apr 16, 2012

Easy to make, I thought it was okay but I am only giving it 3 stars because the rest of my family was not thrilled by this. Pretty healthy tasting dish but not for lemon-hating five year olds!

—SarahMc

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12 Ratings

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Jan 17, 2013

YUM YUM and more YUM! Simple and delicious! The cooking times are spot on. I liked that the asparagus were still a bit crisp. The lemon really makes the recipe, so don't skimp! I made the recipe as written. I used whole wheat pasta and served it warm. I tossed everything back into the pot, so no need to dirty a bowl. Next time I will grate my own parmesan cheese or buy the bagged, shredded variety. I only had the parmesan that comes in a shaker and it tends to turn slightly clumpy and pasty. I'll definitely make this again!

—LilSnoo

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Mar 19, 2012

This was a huge hit. I didn't have any asparagus, so I substituted broccoli instead. Still worked great.

—Vestakia

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May 02, 2013

This recipe was so tasty! I added cooked chicken and used whole grain pasta.

—MAYINKZOO94

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Apr 12, 2013

I made the recipe as is using broccoli instead of asparagus because it is what I had in the house. After tasting it I definitely think it needed more lemon juice because I was getting a strong olive oil flavor. I think it is just going to depend on how big or how much juice your lemon yields. Just make sure you taste it to see if it needs adjustment. I used the zest of one lemon, but, added the juice of another whole lemon because I was not getting a lot of juice out of it. I liked it as is, but, my husband sprinkled some red pepper flakes into his and loved it. Thanks for the recipe!

—happyschmoopies

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Apr 24, 2013

I added a huge bunch of kale, 1/4 of an onion, 2 cloves of garlic to the asparagus. I sauteed them in a bin pan in coconut oil added them to the lemon juice but did not add zest (BF doesn't like things too lemony). Added the cheese then the pasta and transferred everything back to a sauce pan (BF wasn't home yet/ don't want things getting cold!!) added the pepper and salt. OMG turned out amazing!!

—887af

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Nov 08, 2012

pretty delicious, but not enough vegetable to pasta for my tastes. i would add sundried tomato, and think some pine nuts would go well too. and neither of those would significantly contribute to increasing the prep time. i used whole wheat pasta.

—Dorianne

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Nutrition

Calories
378 kcal
19%

Carbohydrates
45 g
15%

Cholesterol
9 mg
3%

Fat
17.8 g
27%

Fiber
3.8 g
15%

Protein
12.7 g
25%

Sodium
206 mg
8%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

Lemon Asparagus Pasta

Serving Size: 1/8 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 8
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 378
Calories from Fat: 160

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 17.8g 27 %
Saturated Fat 3.9g 20 %
Cholesterol 9mg 3 %
Sodium 206mg 8 %
Potassium 254mg 7 %
Total Carbohydrates 45g 15 %
Dietary Fiber 3.8g 15 %
Protein 12.7g 25 %
** Sugars 3g
Vitamin A 10 %
Vitamin C 23 %
Calcium 18 %
Iron 31 %
** Thiamin 9 %
Niacin 38 %
Vitamin B6 9 %
Magnesium 14 %
Folate 18 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.