Italian asparagus pasta recipe from Northern Italy
User Reviews
4.9
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Prep Time
30 mins
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Cook Time
30 mins
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Total Time
1 hr
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Servings
4
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Calories
714 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Italian
Italian asparagus pasta recipe from Northern Italy
Description
The Italian asparagus pasta combines fusilli pasta with a sauce made from sautéed onion and garlic softened in olive oil, then cooked with diced zucchini. Meanwhile, asparagus is boiled until just tender; the stalks are blended into a puree and combined with the zucchini and onion mixture to create a creamy vegetable sauce. Fresh parsley adds brightness, and creamy robiola cheese (or substitutes like stracchino or cream cheese) is incorporated to enrich the sauce.
The pasta and sauce are combined and finished with grated Parmigiano Reggiano for savory depth. The result is a dish with a delicate balance of fresh vegetable flavors, soft pasta texture, and creamy cheese, typical of Northern Italian home cooking.
This meal works well as a light lunch or dinner, suitable for those who appreciate vegetable-forward pasta dishes. It pairs neatly with a green salad or crusty bread.
Robiola cheese is central to the texture but can be substituted with similar soft cheeses if unavailable. Other short pasta shapes such as penne can replace fusilli depending on availability.
Ingredients
- 320 g fusilli pasta 11-12oz, or eliche pasta
- 400 g asparagus 14oz) washed and stalk ends removed, fresh, green
- 1 onion peeled and finely chopped
- 1-2 garlic peeled, cloves
- 1 handful parsley fresh
- 1-2 zucchini
- 200 g robiola cheese (7oz) you can also use stracchino or cream cheese
- 50 g parmigiano reggiano (2oz) grated (for vegetarians use a hard cheese made without animal rennet)
- salt for pasta/asparagus and to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 4 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Peel the garlic and onion and chop the onion finely. Wash the asparagus and break off the hardest part of the stalks. Chop the parsley and cut the zucchini into small cubes.
- Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan or skillet ( big enough to hold the pasta and sauce later) Add the onion and garlic and soften for 5 minutes.
- Add the zucchini cubes to the garlic and onion with a ladle of water and a pinch of salt, mix and then cook covered over a moderate flame for 10 minutes.
Cook the asparagus
- In the meantime, cook the asparagus in plenty of salted water for about 10 minutes (until al dente/ still a bit firm). When they are ready, drain them but keep the cooking water to be used to cook the pasta in.
- Now cut the asparagus in two, keeping the spears aside. Blend the asparagus stalks with a little of the cooking water in a food processor or blender. Put the blended asparagus in a bowl.
Finish the sauce
- Then blend the mixture of zucchini, onion and garlic. Mix the 2 sauces together in and return the sauce to the frying pan.
- Add the robiola, some of the Parmigiano (or other hard cheese) and most of the parsley. Mix everything on a low heat until the robiola has melted. Add salt and pepper to taste and some of the asparagus spears.
- You can make the sauce more creamy with a few tablespoons of the pasta cooking water once the pasta has been cooked if you want to.
Cook the pasta
- If necessary add more water to the asparagus cooking water and bring to the boil. Cook the pasta in this water until al dente according to the instructions on the packet.
Finish the dish
- Drain the pasta and add it to the asparagus sauce. Mix the pasta and sauce together well and serve with the remaining asparagus spears, more grated cheese, black pepper and a sprinkling of chopped parsley.
Notes
- Robiola cheese can be substituted with stracchino or cream cheese without compromising the dish's creamy texture.
- This recipe can be prepared with other short pasta varieties like penne based on preference or availability.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 714 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 714kcal | 36% |
| Carbohydrates | 70g | 23% |
| Protein | 30g | 60% |
| Fat | 36g | 55% |
| Saturated Fat | 14g | 70% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 3g | 18% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 15g | 75% |
| Cholesterol | 59mg | 20% |
| Sodium | 540mg | 23% |
| Potassium | 607mg | 13% |
| Fiber | 6g | 24% |
| Sugar | 7g | 14% |
| Vitamin A | 1537IU | 31% |
| Vitamin C | 18mg | 20% |
| Calcium | 559mg | 56% |
| Iron | 4mg | 22% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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