Creamy Asparagus Pasta

Contributed By: EatingWell
Recipe by: Eating Well, Picture by: Ken Burris

Lemon zest ties all the flavors together in this light and creamy pasta. Make it a meal: Serve with a salad of sliced fresh mozzarella and cherry tomatoes tossed with a little fresh basil, balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

Print Add to Meal Planner Add to Cookbook Add to Shopping List

Total Preparation Time: 15 to 30 minutes
Ingredients: Vegetables
Actual Cooking Time: Less than 15 minutes
Number of Servings: 4
Origin: American
Italian
Special Features: Quick to Prepare (under 30 minutes)
Kids Love It
Vegetarian
Nutrition Content: Good Source of Calcium
High Fiber
Meal Type: Lunch
Entree

Scroll over the empty stars to rate.
  1 rating
  Read (1)/Add a Comment

Ingredients

8 ounces Whole-wheat penne pasta
1 bunch Asparagus, trimmed and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups Whole milk
4 teaspoons Whole-grain mustard
4 teaspoons Flour
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons Extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons Minced garlic
2 teaspoons Minced fresh tarragon or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon Freshly grated lemon zest
2 teaspoons Lemon juice
1/2 cup Grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Preparation

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 3 minutes less than the package directions. Add asparagus and continue cooking until the pasta and asparagus are just tender, 3 minutes more. Drain and return to the pot.

Meanwhile, whisk milk, mustard, flour, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant and lightly browned, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Whisk in the milk mixture. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly, and cook until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in tarragon, lemon zest and juice.

Stir the sauce into the pasta-asparagus mixture. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until the sauce is thick, creamy and coats the pasta, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup Parmesan. Divide the pasta among 4 bowls and top with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.

Cook's Notes

Lemon zest ties all the flavors together in this light and creamy pasta. Make it a meal: Serve with a salad of sliced fresh mozzarella and cherry tomatoes tossed with a little fresh basil, balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Omit the added salt to reduce the sodium in this dish.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 359 ; Total Fat: 10g ; Saturated Fat: 4g ; Carbohydrates: 55g ; Protein: 18g ; Calcium: 314 ; Sodium: 602mg ; Fiber: 7g

Recipe Comments

Commented by: ekmaurer3

I used a tad less garlic and lemon zest. I also didnt have whole grain mustard on hand so I used half yellow prepared mustard and half dijon mustard. I also used 2% milk since we didnt have whole milk on hand. In addition, I chopped up some baby bok choy and added it with the asparugus for more vegetables. Baby bok choy chopped/cooked up looks just like an herb, so it adds to the presentation of this dish. I also used organic brown rice gluten free penne pasta. My 2 year old loved this dish and that makes it a keeper.