This creamy asparagus pasta is springtime in a bowl. Snappy asparagus and fresh pasta are twirled together with silky garlic, cheese, egg, and crème fraîche sauce. Best of all, it requires minimal dishes and is on the table in less than 30 minutes.
Adapted from Rebecca Seal and Chantal Symons | Leon Happy One-Pot Vegetarian | Conran, 2022
Very gently cooking the eggs and cheese together, in a bowl set over the pasta pan, results in a deliciously silky sauce, which goes brilliantly with delicate egg pasta and asparagus.–Rebecca Seal and Chantal Symons
Creamy Asparagus Pasta FAQs
For simplicity’s sake, think of crème fraîche as European sour cream. It’s a staple there, and while it may be less common here in the States, we really love it. Why? Well, it has a higher fat content than sour cream, making it less prone to curdling when heated. It’s also thicker, richer, and less tangy than the sour cream you know – but it still tastes divine dolloped onto a baked potato or plopped atop a taco. Use crème fraîche nearly anywhere you’d normally use full fat sour cream.
There’s a very good reason. Salting your pasta water seasons each noodle evenly. How much salt should you use? About a heaping tablespoon per gallon (or per pound of pasta). Your water should taste slightly briny. If you’re concerned about your salt intake, don’t worry. Your pasta won’t absorb all of the salt. Use table, sea, or kosher salt – but steer clear of iodized, as it can pass on an “off” taste to your cooked pasta.
Creamy Asparagus Pasta
This creamy pasta with asparagus is made with fresh egg pasta, snappy asparagus, and a silky garlic, egg, and creme fraîche sauce.
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Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and maintain a gentle simmer, but don’t add the pasta yet.
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In a heatproof bowl that will fit on top of the pot, whisk together the eggs, crème fraîche, Parmesan cheese, and garlic, until fairly smooth.
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Place the bowl over the simmering water and cook, stirring, until the sauce has melted together, is completely smooth and hot through, 3 to 5 minutes. (Don’t allow it to overheat, as the egg will start to scramble and become lumpy.)
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Remove the bowl from the heat and set aside, tasting to check if the sauce needs any salt.
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Add the asparagus and pasta to the simmering water and increase the heat if necessary. Boil until the pasta is tender and the asparagus is bright green, about 3 minutes, then drain in a colander immediately.
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Toss together the sauce, pasta and asparagus. Serve with more grated Parmesan cheese and a dusting of freshly ground black pepper.
Serving: 1portionCalories: 733kcal (37%)Carbohydrates: 96g (32%)Protein: 35g (70%)Fat: 23g (35%)Saturated Fat: 10g (63%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 328mg (109%)Sodium: 506mg (22%)Potassium: 575mg (16%)Fiber: 6g (25%)Sugar: 5g (6%)Vitamin A: 1212IU (24%)Vitamin C: 4mg (5%)Calcium: 415mg (42%)Iron: 5mg (28%)
Recipe Testers’ Reviews
Originally published May 13, 2022
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