This asparagus and mushroom pasta is a healthy, light, and super flavorful meatless dish that comes together quickly and tastes like spring!
Well, as I type this, it’s snowing outside. It does that a lot here. We’ve been spoiled this winter, but I still can’t stand the cold white stuff falling from the sky.
I’m a meat and potatoes kinda guy, so I was quite surprised just how much I enjoyed this pasta dish.
I have a bit of a hate on for farfalle (bowtie) pasta. When I was an obnoxious teenager, my mom made me spaghetti and meatballs with bowties instead of spaghetti.
Being the budding gourmand, I threw the biggest hissy fit because HOW DARE SHE FEED ME BOWTIE PASTA WITH MEATBALLS, and I subsequently got myself banned from that spaghetti and meatballs recipe for like 10 years. Good times.
Why did I choose bowties for this recipe? Because I want to re-live those repressed memories.
…No, I just thought it would look pretty in photos. You can choose any kind of pasta you want. Feel safe in knowing that.
How to make asparagus and mushroom pasta
Boil a large, salted pot of water for the pasta; make the sauce while the pasta cooks.
Sauté the asparagus pieces in butter and olive oil in a skillet for 5 minutes; add mushrooms and cook until softened.
Add garlic, lemon juice, and salt & pepper.
Drain pasta (optional: reserve a little pasta water to toss with the sauce) and serve the sauce over pasta.
Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese. Delish!
Will you make this healthy asparagus and mushroom pasta recipe?
Let me know in the comments!
Asparagus and Mushroom Pasta
A fast and delicious vegetarian pasta dish that is perfect for spring.
Ingredients
- 4 ounces farfalle (or other) pasta
- 1/2 bunch asparagus (approx. 12 stalks) ends trimmed
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 7 ounces white mushrooms
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese (optional)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to directions.
- Grate parmesan. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, in a skillet, melt butter and olive oil on medium heat.
- Cut asparagus into roughly five equal sections (four cuts). Add asparagus to pan and cook for approximately five minutes.
- While asparagus is cooking, slice mushrooms. Add to skillet. Cook for a few minutes, until mushrooms are softened.
- Add the garlic, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Stir and cook for a couple more minutes. Serve over the pasta once it has cooked and generously sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese.
Recipe Notes
- Recipe is easily doubled.
Love asparagus? You may also like my healthy asparagus and shrimp pasta.
Diana Keith says
I added the zest of a lemon and a package of fresh baby spinach for some extra color. I brought it to my in-law’s Christmas dinner and everyone loved it!
Natasha says
That’s awesome!! Merry Christmas!
Rebekah says
Tasty! Any idea how many calories are in a serving??
Natasha says
Hi! Calories will vary depending on the ingredients you use. Plugging the exact weights/measurements of the actual ingredients you use into one of the free calculators out there should give you a good idea of the calories.
Lacey says
Hello from New Brunswick! I came across this recipe after Googling “recipes with asparagus and mushrooms” (cleaning out the fridge, lol) and this delivered so much more than I hoped for! The lemon juice really makes this recipe, I think: the mushrooms just seem to soak it all up and become lemony, garlicky bites of heaven. My fave pasta dishes are simple but flavourful and this fits the bill! I’ll definitely be checking your blog for more yummy meals.
Natasha says
Hi Lacey! Haha I am so glad you found me! 🙂
Maryanneh says
This was very tastey and so easy to toss together. I added some cooked chicken and added the cooked pasta to the pan and a little pasta water to thin it out. It turned out great and hubby liked it too.
Natasha says
That’s great! So happy you liked it! 🙂
Dianne says
Thanks for a quick, easy, and delicious entree! I made it vegan using Miyoko’s Vegan Butter and a cashew and nutritional yeast substitute for the cheese. We loved it!
Natasha says
So happy to hear that! Thanks for letting me know, Dianne!
Sarah says
I’m going to try this tonight but will add sliced grilled chicken breasts for some extra protein for my hubby, sounds delicious!
Natasha says
Hope you love it, Sarah!
Ashley says
Hi there,
I’m planning on making this today for Easter.
How many people does this serve?
I have to make enough for 10 people
Natasha says
Hi Ashley! It serves 2. Hope you guys enjoy it. 😊
Edith Goldman says
This sounds very yummy and easy to make (2 top criteria for me!) but I think you left out a step – you should remove and discard the woody ends of the asparagus. I also suggest reversing the cooking order, as if you cook the asparagus first it’ll get very soft and mushy by the time the mushrooms are done. I think it will work better if you saute the mushrooms until golden and then add the asparagus, cooking until al dente (2 – 3 minutes). Reserve some of the pasta water and add it and some more butter to the pan, to create a sauce.
Anyhow, I plan to try this tonight, over gnocchi. Thank you for the great ideas.
Natasha says
Hi Edith! Good point – this was one of my earlier recipes, and I’ll add in a note re: the asparagus ends (I usually include it in my asparagus recipes these days). It worked well when I prepared it, but feel free to cook it in the order you prefer. Over gnocchi sounds fab!
Conor says
Thanks for the inspiration Natasha, I melted paprika into a famous irish butter and added fresh thyme.
Conor says
Sorry forgot to give you my stars!
Natasha says
Thank you! 😁
Natasha says
Awesome!! Sounds yummy!
Tim Bennett says
Delicious, thank you for the simple recipe.
Natasha says
You’re welcome, Tim! So glad you enjoyed it.
Travis says
Made this tonight with some leftover chicken sausages, it turned out awesome.
Natasha says
Excellent!!
Victoria Riccardelli says
Made this tonight for dinner for my husband and I and it was delicious! Simple, fast, healthy, and flavorful. Can’t ask for more than that! Thank you for a great recipe.
Natasha says
So glad you two liked it, Victoria! 🙂
Janusz Knepil says
Can we grate the Parmesan (or Pecorino Romano) directly on to the served plate. Grated cheese loses its aroma incredibly quickly and if you have a wedge of cheese and a grater to hand, why not?
Natasha says
Absolutely.
Tzivia says
Greetings from the good ol u s of aOmg wow cool luv shrooms and asparagus gotta try and make this after Passover looks like a very springy and summery meal do u throw in cheese or leave it out I’m such a cheese addict lol that’s y I asked btw pretty cool site
Jay Gaulard @ IndustryEats says
Looking really good Natasha! I’m a huge fan of this ingredient list. Believe it or not, I was just having a conversation about gaining a few, ahem, pounds since I started food blogging. As luck would have it, I happened to see your new post this evening. I may have to begin including more health conscious recipes on my blog. It’s for this reason, I appreciate the “optional” freshly grated Parmesan cheese in your recipe.
I wonder if this happens a lot. I remember reading on a blogger’s “About” page that they now write healthy recipes because they gained 20 pounds since they began their blog. I didn’t think much of it, but I have a funny feeling I’m going to have to start jump roping again.
Anyway, this looks like a really great recipe and I’ll certainly give it a shot. Thanks for sharing and perfect job, as usual, with your extremely attractive photos!
Jay
Natasha says
Thanks for the thoughtful comment, Jay! Gaining weight has definitely been a concern of mine as well. I’ve tried to closely monitor my portions since I started the blog, especially if I’m creating a series of recipes that aren’t the healthiest! It’s definitely a challenge sometimes.
Shaneon says
Gosh your photos are beautiful! This is perfect for Spring!
Natasha says
Thanks Shannon!!
Richard Wallace says
Apparently, I made nearly this this evening and then found your recipe much later when I was curious if there were any asparagus-mushroom-pasta recipes out there (assumed there was but never sure until I see them). I used a little more asparagus and garlic and a bit less mushroom, as well as a healthy dose of crushed red chile flakes (more than I intended in fact when they kind of dumped out–but we are Indian so no problem). Reserved pasta water is not optional in my opinion–mandatory for finishing the dish. One other difference: I did not add the lemon juice until the very end (after plating–bowling more accurately–and adding the sprinkling cheese). My wife loved it. I put another portion for her lunch tomorrow, but left out the lemon juice (she will be microwaving it at work and that would destroy the vitamin C), and instead I added some chopped fresh basil and a few pine nuts to that portion (pesto deconstructed, I guess). I gave you four stars above, though I have never made your recipe per se, but a rating was required.
Natasha says
Hi Richard!! I’m glad you nearly made my recipe haha. Sounds good to me! 🙂