This creamy asparagus scampi pasta is a celebration of flavors and textures. Tender asparagus and juicy scampi take center stage, complemented by sweet peas and a rich cream sauce. The addition of Parmesan and egg yolk creates a velvety smooth finish, while chives and basil add a fresh, aromatic touch. Want a bit of extra heat? A finely chopped chili pepper makes it even more exciting. A simple yet refined dish, perfect for a spring weekday meal or a cozy evening!
Asparagus scampi pasta
Ingredients
- 500 grams asparagus
- 300 grams pasta short pasta, like elbows
- 250 grams scampi
- 200 grams peas
- 100 ml cooking cream
- 50 grams grated Parmesan
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon chives finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon basil finely chopped
- 1 onion
- 1 red chili pepper optional
Instructions
Some preparations
- Peel the asparagus and remove the woody ends. Then cut them into pieces of about five centimeters.
- Remove the skin from the onion and then halve it. Cut the onion into small pieces.
- Halve the chili pepper lengthwise. Remove the seeds and then cut them into small pieces.
- Finely chop the basil and chives.
Cooking the pasta, asparagus and peas
- Bring enough water to the boil and cook the pasta in it. Add the asparagus ten minutes before the end and the peas a few minutes before the end.
- When everything is ready, drain the pasta with asparagus and peas.
- Keep 1 dl (3.5 floz) of the cooking water aside. Place the pasta with asparagus and peas in a large bowl.
Cooking the scampi and making the sauce
- Heat some olive oil in a pan and fry the chili pepper and the onion in it.
- Then add the scampi. Add plenty of salt and pepper and let the scampi warm through (if frozen) or cook until they turn orange (for fresh scampi).
- In the meantime, mix the cooking cream with the Parmesan and the egg. First add the basil and chives. Then also cooking water. Now mix this into a smooth sauce.
Finishing and serving
- Mix the sauce under the pasta with asparagus and peas. Finally, add the scampi.
- Serve the asparagus scampi pasta in deep plates. Finish with some more chives and basil.
Nutrition
How to make asparagus scampi pasta?
This delicious spring recipe requires very little preparation and is ready in no time. Perfect for a quick weekday lunch.
A few simple preparations
First, we need to peel the asparagus. Then, remove the tough, woody ends at the bottom. Cut the asparagus into smaller pieces that match well to the short pasta. A tip: slice them slightly diagonally for a more festive look. You can also use green asparagus for extra color-or a mix of white and green asparagus.
For a bit of extra heat, you can add a red chili pepper. Halve it lengthwise and remove the seeds, then chop it into small pieces.
Peel the white onion, cut it in half, and dice both halves into small pieces.
Finally, finely chop the fresh chives and basil.
Cooking the pasta, asparagus, and peas
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, as we will be cooking the pasta, asparagus, and peas together in it.
The pasta takes the longest to cook, so add it to the boiling water first. Check the package for the recommended cooking time.
Ten minutes before the pasta is done, add the asparagus to the boiling water. They should be tender in about ten minutes.
Lastly, add the peas. You can use frozen peas or canned/jarred peas. They only need to be warmed through at the end.
Drain the pasta, asparagus, and peas, but reserve a bit of the cooking water for the sauce. Transfer the pasta, asparagus, and peas to a large bowl.
Preparing the scampi and sauce
Meanwhile, heat some olive oil in a pan. Sauté the chili pepper and onion for about a minute. Season the scampi with salt and pepper.
Add the scampi to the pan. If using fresh scampi, cook until done. If using frozen scampi, simply heat them through-since they are pre-cooked, overheating can make them tough.
In the meantime, mix the cooking cream with the egg yolk and Parmesan. Stir in the finely chopped basil and chives. Add some of the reserved pasta water and mix everything into a smooth sauce.
Finishing and serving
Combine the sauce with the pasta, asparagus, and peas, ensuring everything is well mixed. Then, add the scampi.
Serve the asparagus scampi pasta in deep plates and garnish with extra basil and chives if desired.
More surprising.asparagus
Asparagus is the white gold of spring. Since they are only available for a few months each year, you have to take advantage of the season and eat as many asparagus as possible. After that, a nine-month drought follows… Find more surprising asparagus dishes in the following articles:
- Passionate asparagus.
- Fish stew with asparagus.
- Asparagus cordon bleu.
- Spring salad with asparagus and strawberries.
- Italian asparagus pasta passata.
If you speak Dutch, you can find the Dutch version of this recipe on gerechtenweb.blog.
toondebacker says
A delicious way to prepare the white gold of the spring season.