Creamy Lemon Garlic Asparagus Pasta
Why I love it
The name of this dish speaks for itself. This bright yet cozy, healthy, yet delicious pasta is perfect for any occasion. The sauce bursts with flavor from the lemon and garlic. Folding in the asparagus adds a fun surprise too! If I’m including a veggie in my dish because let’s be real, I always do, it has to be roasted or air fried to add in a different textural component. Also, I typically like to make pasta dishes on weekends because 1. I love pasta and 2. My pasta recipes are always quick to make. The next day, this pasta tastes even more delicious with some tahini drizzled on top. Serve this up with some vegan bread and you’re golden. Once you make this pasta dish once, it’s going to become your main squeeze.
Ingredients
1 bunch of asparagus
1 package of pasta (If you want some protein I recommend Banza)
5 cloves minced garlic
2 lemons
2 tbsps flour
2 cups unsweetened plain plant milk (I used almond milk)
1 tbsp pasta water
Olive oil to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Replacements
You can simply replace asparagus with broccoli or any other green vegetable.
Recipe
1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Chop off the bottoms of the asparagus, then cut the remaining spears into 3 segments. Season with salt and olive oil to taste and put in the oven for 20 minutes.
2. Shake up the asparagus in the pan and add in freshly cracked pepper (so it doesn’t burn early on) and a squeeze of half a lemon (so it doesn’t lose flavor early on). Bake for 15-20 more minutes.
3. Meanwhile, make the pasta sauce. Add the garlic to a large pan with olive oil. Bring this to a simmer until the garlic has browned slightly. Then, add in salt and pepper and lower the heat.
4. Add in the flour and milk to the pan and mix. Bring it to a simmer once again and then let it cool.
5. Once the sauce has cooled, blend it until it reaches a silky consistency. Add it back into the pan and heat until thickened. Add in 1/2 of the roasted asparagus and the juice of a whole lemon.
6. In a separate pot, cook your pasta according to package directions, and make sure it is in salted water.
7. Once the pasta is almost done, take it directly out of the pot and add it into the pan (it’s okay if some water comes with it). Add in 1 additional tbsp of the pasta water. Mix this all together with the sauce. Top each bowl with the remaining asparagus and lemon slices from the remaining half. Enjoy!
