I love buying asparagus in bulk when it is in season in early spring. It is when this vegetable is most flavorful and at the best price. I recently bought over 2 pounds and have been experimenting with ways to use it within a one week timeframe. For this post, I tried to transform asparagus into a creamy pasta sauce, but with my dairy allergy, I was trying to do it without using any cream or dairy. My experiment worked! It was so flavorful and delicious when mixed in with cooked spaghetti. Give this recipe a try if you are tempted by asparagus in the store and want inspiration on how to cook it.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces pasta of your choosing (half a box/packet)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 12-15 asparagus spears
- 1/4 cup diced onion or 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth (if you are okay with dairy, you can substitute 1/2 cup of broth with 1/2 cup of half and half)
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan or pecorino cheese for topping the pasta (optional)
Directions
- Cook the pasta.
- Snap the ends of the spears off by bending them. They will snap where they are tender.
- Dice the asparagus into 1-1.5 inch chunks.
- Heat the oil over medium heat. Add the asparagus, onions, salt, and pepper and cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Add the flour and garlic powder and stir to evenly coat everything with flour.
- Add the lemon juice and 2-4 tablespoons of broth. Smooth out any clumps of flour.
- Add the remaining broth and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Pour the mixture into a blender and blend on high for 1 minute until smooth. Be careful blending hot liquids to allow the steam to release by cracking the lid or covering with a towel instead of the lid.
- Pour the blended asparagus sauce over the cooked pasta and stir to coat. Add the cheese when serving.
Comments
Post a Comment