Asparagus Pesto Pasta is a simple, yet elegant dish that is perfect for a summer lunch or light dinner. The key to this dish is to use fresh, in-season asparagus. I like to blanch the asparagus in salted water for just a few minutes to take away some of the raw bite, but you could also roast it if you prefer. Once the asparagus is cooked, simply toss it with some pasta, pesto, and Parmesan cheese.
Tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen.
I like to use a higher quality olive oil in the pesto for this dish, as it really adds a depth of flavor. If you want a little bit of heat, you can also add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes. This dish comes together in just minutes but tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen. So next time you are looking for a quick, yet impressive meal, give Asparagus Pesto Pasta a try!
Ingredients
Asparagus Pesto Pasta is a delicious, healthy, and easy-to-make dish that can be enjoyed any time of year. To cook Asparagus Pesto Pasta, you will need:
- - 1 pound of asparagus,
- - ½ cup of pesto, ( store-bought, or make your own )
- -½ pound of gluten-free pasta,
- - Parmesan cheese, and
- - black pepper. to taste
Directions
First,
- cook the asparagus in boiling water for 3 minutes.
- cook the gluten-free pasta according to the package directions.
- Then, add the pesto to the pasta and stir until well combined.
Next, add the Parmesan cheese and black pepper to taste. Serve Asparagus Pesto Pasta hot or cold and enjoy!
Making PESTO
Making PESTO
Asparagus Pesto is a sauce made by blending 1 bunch of asparagus spears, arugula, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, garlic, and olive oil. Pesto can be used on pasta, chicken, fish, or vegetables. It originated in Genoa, Italy and its name comes from the Italian word pestare, which means to pound or crush.
- To make pesto, you will need:
- 1 bunch of asparagus spears
- 4 ounces arugula, stemmed, washed, and dried 2 cups leaves, tightly packed
- 1 cup of pine nuts ( optional )
- 1 cup of Parmesan cheese
- 2 cloves of garlic
- ¼ cup of extra-virgin oil
- ½ teaspoon salt and pepper to taste
- -Now it's time to make the pesto.
- -Simply combine asparagus spears, arugula, garlic, olive oil, pine nuts,
- -Parmesan cheese, pepper, and salt in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.
Enjoy!
