Balsamic Asparagus Pasta

The perfect dinner for asparagus lovers! This asparagus pasta is packed with zippy balsamic flavor and comes together in under 30 minutes.

Asparagus is the first spring veggie I always get excited about in March. I try to work it into at least one recipe each and every year, such as soup or risotto or curry!

Spring seems to have come early this year, and I’m ready with this quick and easy pasta dinner.

Balsamic Pasta

Balsamic vinegar is one of my favorite seasonings for adding a flavor to veggies, but I feel like I don’t use it in nearly enough recipes on this site. In real life I’ll often drizzle balsamic on a salad or soak it up with a crusty piece of bread, but I don’t work it into too many recipes.

I’ve been itching to do a balsamic pasta dish forever. It’s so easy! Simmer your balsamic for a short time to reduce it, then toss it with some pasta. You could practically make a meal of that alone. Add some veggies, garlic, and red pepper flakes and you’ve got a seriously delicious dinner.

How to Trim Asparagus

The number one mistake people seem to make when cooking asparagus is not trimming the spears, or doing so incorrectly. Have you ever bitten into an asparagus spear, only to find the end is super tough and chewy? That’s the worst! That end needs to be trimmed before you cook your asparagus.

Here’s the trick to trimming asparagus perfectly: grab a spear, grasping each end in one of your hands. Now bend it until it breaks. It should break in just the right spot, every time! Now discard the bottom portion of your spear (which will probably be between 1/4 and 1/3 of the length of your asparagus), and cook the upper portion according to the recipe.

How to Make Asparagus Pasta

You’ll need one large skillet with a lid to make this recipe. Cut your asparagus into 2-inch pieces and cook your pasta according to the package directions.

Add about 1/2 cup of water to the skillet and bring it to a simmer. Now add your asparagus and cover the skillet. Let the asparagus steam for just a few minutes, until it just begins to tenderize and turn bright green.

Note: if you really want to save time, you can skip the steaming. I recommend steaming because it prevents the asparagus from coming out too stringy.

Now transfer the asparagus to a plate and pour the water out of the skillet. Dry the skillet and place it back on the burner. Heat up some oil and return the asparagus to the skillet. Crank up the heat and cook the asparagus until it’s tender and has some dark spots.

Push the asparagus to the side and add some garlic to the skillet. Just cook the garlic for a minute or two, stirring the whole time to prevent burning. Now stir everything up to combine the garlic and asparagus, pour in some balsamic vinegar, and let it simmer for a minute. Stir in your pasta and some red pepper flakes. Cook everything for a minute more until the pasta is heated throughout.

Take the skillet off of the burner and season the pasta with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle it with some parsley or fresh basil if you’d like. You could even top it off with some vegan Parm if you like!

Balsamic Asparagus Pasta Tips & FAQ

• Can this dish be made gluten-free? Yup! Just use your favorite gluten-free pasta.
• Leftovers will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for about 3 days.
• For a different spin on this dish, try serving it cold, as a pasta salad!
• Use a good quality balsamic vinegar. You want a balsamic that’s thick and syrupy with a bit of sweetness. Cheap ones will be overly sour and very runny. Check the ingredients to make sure it’s 100% balsamic, and not a blend of balsamic and red wine vinegar.

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Balsamic Asparagus Pasta

The perfect dinner for asparagus lovers! This asparagus pasta is packed with zippy balsamic flavor and comes together in under 30 minutes.

Course Entree

Cuisine American

Keyword asparagus recipes, easy pasta dinner

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Servings 4

Calories 366 kcal

Author Alissa Saenz

Ingredients

• 10 ounces dried penne pasta
• 1 1/2 pounds fresh asparagus spears
• Salt, to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or to taste)
• Black pepper, to taste
• Chopped fresh parsley or basil (optional)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook it according to the package directions. Drain the pasta into a colander, return it to the pot, and toss it with a dash of olive oil.

2. Break the woody ends from the asparagus spears, then cut them into 2-inch pieces.

3. Add 1/2 cup of water to a large skillet and place it over high heat. Bring the water to a boil.

4. Lower the heat to medium and add the asparagus. Cover the skillet and steam the asparagus for about 2 minutes, until they just begin to tenderize and turn bright green.

5. Transfer the asparagus to a plate, then pour the water out of the skillet.

6. Return the skillet to the burner and coat the bottom with the olive oil. Raise the heat to medium-hight.

7. Give the oil a minute to heat up, then return the asparagus to the skillet and sprinkle it with a pinch of salt. Cook the asparagus for about 3 minutes, flipping once or twice, until it begins to darken in spots.

8. Lower the heat to medium. Push the asparagus to the sides and add the garlic to the center of the skillet.

9. Cook the garlic, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute, until it becomes very fragrant.

10. Pour the balsamic vinegar into the skillet, along with the red pepper flakes. The vinegar should start simmering right away. Let it cook for about a minute, to reduce slightly.

11. Add the pasta to the skillet and toss it to coat it with the balsamic. Cook everything for about a minute, until the pasta is heated throughout.

12. Remove the skillet from heat and season the pasta with salt and pepper to taste. Optionally, sprinkle with parsley or basil.

13. Divide onto plates and serve.

Nutrition Facts

Balsamic Asparagus Pasta

Amount Per Serving

Calories 366 Calories from Fat 75

% Daily Value*

Fat 8.3g13%

Saturated Fat 1.3g7%

Sodium 300mg13%

Potassium 528mg15%

Carbohydrates 60.7g20%

Fiber 5.9g24%

Sugar 5.2g6%

Protein 13.2g26%

Calcium 63mg6%

Iron 6mg33%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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