Peppery Parmesan Asparagus and Spaghetti
Peppery Parmesan Asparagus and Spaghetti is one of our favorite springtime dinners. I start this spaghetti dinner by cooking the sliced asparagus, seasoned with lots of black pepper and red pepper flakes, until it’s tender. Then, I add the cooked spaghetti, peas, and grated Pecorino and Parmesan cheeses. Along with the pasta water, this all forms a rich and delicious peppery cheese sauce. Finally, I top each portion with a ball of rich and creamy burrata cheese. We like this spaghetti dinner for several reasons. First of all, I like that I can make this entire spaghetti dinner in just thirty minutes. That makes it a great dinner to prepare on busy days. Secondly, I like that this is a meatless meal. While we enjoy eating meat, we also enjoy a few meatless meals every week. And, lastly, we all like the sweet asparagus and peas, the al dente spaghetti, and the creamy burrata cheese.
The Equipment I Used
- A Large Skillet- Use a large skillet to make the sauce for this pasta. That way, you’ll be able to add the spaghetti to the pan and easily coat every strand with the sauce.
The Ingredients Needed for Peppery Parmesan Asparagus and Spaghetti
- Spaghetti- I always use Barilla spaghetti. Be sure to follow the directions on the box to make al dente spaghetti.
- Butter- Use unsalted butter. I always use Kerry Gold Irish butter.
- Oil- Use extra virgin olive oil.
- Pepper- You’ll need ground black pepper (freshly ground is best), and red pepper flakes.
How I Made my Peppery Pasta
- First, I boiled the spaghetti.
- Then, while the spaghetti cooked, I cooked the asparagus and made the sauce. Be sure to not overcook the asparagus.
- Finally, I tossed the cooked spaghetti with the sauce, asparagus, and peas. And I topped each portion with burrata cheese.
If you like cheese, you need to try this Peppery Parmesan Asparagus and Spaghetti.
Peppery Parmesan Asparagus and Spaghetti
Ingredients
- 12 ounces spaghetti
- 4 tbsp. butter
- 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 bunch asparagus spears, trimmed, and cut into half inch pieces
- 1 tsp. ground black pepper
- ½ tsp. red pepper flakes
- ½ cup each grated Parmesan and Pecorino cheeses
- 1 cup cooked green peas
- ¼ cup reserved spaghetti water
- ½ cup basil leaves
- 4 balls burrata cheese
Instructions
- In a large pot of well salted boiling water (use three tablespoons of kosher salt), cook the spaghetti pasta until al dente, following the package directions. Drain the pasta, reserving a quarter cup of the pasta water.
- In a large skillet heat the butter and the olive oil over medium heat. Add the asparagus, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook on medium heat until the asparagus is just tender.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add the spaghetti, Parmesan, Pecorino, and peas. Toss until the cheese melts. Add a quarter cup of reserved pasta water. Toss until creamy, adding more water as needed. Top with a half cup more of Parmesan cheese and the basil. Top each portion with burrata cheese.
