This quick and easy Pasta with Asparagus and peas tossed in a bright, creamy lemon sauce is irresistible. Light yet satisfying, this recipe highlights spring produce but works any time of year and comes together in under 30 minutes.
✔️ Pasta with Asparagus
This lemon asparagus pasta uses simple pantry ingredients and fresh vegetables for a flavorful, budget-friendly meal. Crispy pancetta adds savory crunch, while a silky lemon cream sauce brings everything together. Perfect for busy weeknights or a light weekend dinner.
✔️ Lemon Asparagus Pasta Ingredients
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Pasta: Any shape will work—orecchiette, shells, penne or long pasta like spaghetti.
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Asparagus: Spears trimmed and chopped into roughly 1-inch pieces.
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Peas: Fresh when in season; otherwise frozen are convenient and tasty.
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Pancetta: Adds savory crispness. Substitute bacon, ham, or omit for a vegetarian version.
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Butter: Forms the base of the sauce; unsalted or salted is fine.
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Flour: All-purpose flour to make a roux that thickens the sauce.
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Wine or broth: White wine (Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc) or chicken/vegetable broth.
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Heavy cream: Heavy cream yields a stable, rich sauce—avoid whole milk or half-and-half to prevent curdling.
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Seasonings: Salt, ground black pepper, and garlic powder.
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Lemon: Fresh lemon zest and juice for bright flavor.
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Parmesan: Freshly grated Parmesan (or Pecorino Romano) for depth and saltiness.
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Oil: Olive oil or another mild oil for cooking if needed.
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Garnishes: Chopped parsley or basil and extra Parmesan, optional but recommended.
🔎 How To Make Asparagus Pasta
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Cook the pasta in generously salted water according to package directions. A few minutes before it’s done, add the chopped asparagus and finish cooking until the pasta is al dente. Add frozen peas to the pot before draining to defrost and warm them. Reserve about 1/2 cup of the cooking water, then drain.
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While the pasta cooks, crisp the pancetta in a skillet over medium heat. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate and discard excess fat from the pan. If the pancetta is lean, add a teaspoon of oil to the pan before cooking.
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In the same skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook for about a minute to form a roux.
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Slowly whisk in the white wine or broth until slightly thickened. Gradually add the heavy cream, whisking until the sauce begins to thicken.
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Whisk in garlic powder, lemon juice, lemon zest and freshly grated Parmesan. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
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Add the drained pasta, asparagus, peas and pancetta to the skillet and toss gently to coat. Add reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time if you want a looser, creamier sauce.
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Serve immediately with extra Parmesan and chopped parsley or basil on top.
🔎 Can I Use Bottled Lemon Juice?
Fresh lemon juice and zest are recommended. Bottled lemon juice lacks the vibrant acidity and bright aroma fresh lemons provide, and the zest adds essential citrus oils that lift the sauce.
🔎 Can I Use Fresh Peas?
Yes—fresh peas are excellent when in season. Add them to the pasta water with the asparagus so they cook through. Frozen peas are a great, convenient alternative the rest of the year.
🔎 What Shape Of Pasta Should I Use?
Use your favorite shape. Small shapes like orecchiette, shells, or rotelle capture the sauce in their pockets, while penne, farfalle, spaghetti or fettuccine all work well—choose what you have on hand.
🔎 What Is Pancetta?
Pancetta is Italian salt-cured pork belly, similar to bacon but typically unsmoked and seasoned. It’s sold sliced or diced and adds rich savory flavor to pastas and soups.
🔎 What Can I Use Instead Of Pancetta?
Substitute bacon, cubed ham, or chopped prosciutto, or skip the meat entirely for a vegetarian dish—the lemon cream, asparagus and peas make a satisfying meatless pasta.
🔎 What To Serve With Asparagus Lemon Pasta Recipe?
This pasta is a great main course with a simple green salad or crusty bread. It also pairs nicely as a side with roasted or grilled chicken, baked salmon, or lamb for a heartier menu.
✔️ Storing and Freezing
Best served right away. Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 1–2 days; the pasta tends to firm up in the fridge. Reheat gently in short microwave bursts or on low heat in a skillet, adding a splash of reserved pasta water or cream to restore creaminess. This recipe does not freeze well—the sauce can separate after freezing and reheating.
Asparagus Pasta Recipe Tips
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Generously salt the pasta water—this is your first chance to season the pasta itself.
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Cook pasta to al dente; it will finish cooking when tossed with the hot sauce.
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Reserve pasta cooking water to thin the sauce without diluting flavor; the starch helps the sauce cling to the pasta.
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If using fresh peas, add them to the pot with the asparagus so they cook briefly and stay tender.
Pasta with Asparagus in Lemon Cream Sauce
Kathy McDaniel
Pin
Ingredients
- 8 ounces orecchiette pasta
- 8 asparagus spears, chopped into about 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup frozen peas, (or fresh peas if in season)
- 1 teaspoon olive oil, (optional)
- 8 ounces pancetta, diced
- 2 tablespoons butter, preferably unsalted
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1/4 cup white wine or broth, (chicken or vegetable)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 lemon zest and juice
- 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Chopped fresh parsley or basil and additional Parmesan for garnish
Instructions
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Cook the pasta in salted water until al dente. Add asparagus a few minutes before the end of cooking. Add frozen peas to the pot just before draining to thaw and warm them. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.
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Cook pancetta in a large skillet over medium heat until crispy. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate and drain excess fat from the pan.
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Melt butter in the same skillet, sprinkle in the flour and whisk for about a minute to form a roux.
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Gradually whisk in wine or broth until the mixture thickens. Slowly add the heavy cream and whisk until the sauce begins to thicken.
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Stir in garlic powder, lemon juice, zest and Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
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Add pasta, asparagus, peas and pancetta to the sauce and toss gently. Use reserved pasta water to adjust consistency as needed.
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Serve immediately with extra Parmesan and fresh herbs.
Notes
- Salt the pasta water generously to season the pasta while it cooks.
- Drain pasta when al dente—the heat from the sauce will finish the cooking.
- Reserve some pasta water; the starch helps create a silky sauce that clings to the pasta.
- When using fresh peas, add them to the pot with the asparagus so they cook briefly and remain tender.