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Another 30 minute dinner win! This roasted asparagus pasta is a creamy asparagus pasta, made with a simple ricotta pasta sauce for a perfect spring-time meal!
Hi guys! How was your weekend? It’s EASTER next weekend – so nuts. Time is flyyyyyying. I’m now on official countdown for baby girl – less than 5 weeks to go (give or take). My dentist told me today that her third baby was 5 weeks early – yikes!
I was getting a filling…first one I’ve had to get in years! I came back home after the dentist and promptly ate a carrot cake cupcake – hence my need for fillings. I should be ashamed.
Those carrot cake cupcakes are coming to the blog on Friday, but until then, I’ve got something savory for you to feast your eyes on. This roasted asparagus pasta!
How do you make a ricotta pasta sauce?
A month or so ago, I realized I had a half-used tub of ricotta in the back of my fridge that was going to expire soon. I have typically always used my ricotta for lasagna, or some sort of filling to stuff pasta with; but inspiration was with me that day and this creamy ricotta pasta sauce was born! It was so good, I’ve made it (and tweaked it) half a dozen times since then. It’s a nice alternative to a classic fettuccine alfredo sauce, giving you that creamy, coated noodle without all of the butter!
Asparagus is starting to come into season again, and roasted asparagus just seemed like the perfect addition to a spring pasta dish! Yaaaay for all of the spring and summer produce coming back into my life! Citrus, I love you, but I’m getting ready to say goodbye.
I’ve yet to try growing asparagus of my own, but I’m told it’s a pretty hearty vegetable to grow, and it’s a perennial, so that’s always a bonus. My garden will have to take a bit of a backseat this year, so I’ll keep asparagus in mind for next year!
Is this asparagus pasta good for kids?
This meal is one of those awesome recipes you can keep in mind for you when want something easy and meatless, and you don’t feel like putting too much effort into your cooking. My boys both gobbled this up (sans asparagus), so it’s good for picky little eaters too!
The sauce is simple; but make sure you keep a bit of the starchy cooking water leftover from the fettuccine noodles to incorporate into your dish. I often forget this step and drain the noodles without reserving any extra water – not disastrous but that water does help keep things nice and smooth!
With spring upon us (although most days it doesn’t feel like it) and Easter right around the corner, this quick and easy pasta dish is perfect for your next Meatless Monday!
Pssst – if you love your fettuccine alfredo but your waistline wants a break, try my lightened up chicken fettuccine alfredo!
And some other noodle dishes:
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Roasted Asparagus and Ricotta Fettuccine
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 3-4 servings 1x
Description
Another 30 minute dinner win! This roasted asparagus pasta is a creamy asparagus pasta, made with a simple ricotta pasta sauce for a perfect spring-time meal
Ingredients
- 8–10 fresh asparagus spears, cleaned and trimmed
- 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1/2 lb (8oz) fettuccine noodles
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup milk (1% or 2%)
- 1/4 cup half and half (or heavy cream)
- 1 cup full-fat ricotta cheese
- black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F. Place the asparagus on a baking sheet and drizzle with 1 tbsp of olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast the asparagus for 18-20 minutes, or until easily pierced with a fork.
- While the asparagus is roasting, bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Salt the water, then cook the fettuccine noodles for 8-10 minutes, or until al dente. Drain the noodles, reserving about 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Rinse the noodles with cold water briefly to help prevent sticking.
- While the noodles are cooking, heat the remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the milk, cream, and ricotta cheese, stirring with a large wooden spoon to combine. Once the sauce begins to bubble, allow it to cook on low for 3-4 minutes or until it has slightly thickened. Add the noodles, and stir to coat. If the sauce begins to get sticky, add a splash of the reserved cooking water to thin it out again. Immediately plate the pasta for serving, and top with asparagus and a sprinkle of black pepper, to taste.
Leftovers will keep in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 2-3 days.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: pastas
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: american
Great use of that Ricotta! I heard that asparagus grows really well here so I’m tempting to give it a try in our little garden. How amazing would it be to grow your own?! Talk about fresh! And exciting if it actually worked! Delicious recipe, Katherine! And now I’m craving pasta 😉 Hope you have a great week (long weekend coming up so woot woot to that) XO
I’ve heard asparagus grows well here too! I need to try it! Although that might be next year, as I think I’ll have my hands too full for gardening this summer 😉 Pasta is always a good idea, right!? Yay to Easter weekend! Have a great week yourself! XO
Katherine, I love how easy and delicious this recipe is, I have asparagus growing in my veggie garden, it is pretty easy to grow and hardly needs any care, I have been looking for some recipes to use them in and this sounds absolutely great, cannot wait to try it out.
Thank you for the delicious recipe and have a great week 🙂
Aaah so jealous that you have asparagus growing in your garden, and that you even have a garden full of veggies right now! I hope you get a chance to try it out, Ashika. It’s delicious! Thank you my friend!
Only thing about growing asperagus is you have to wait 2 years to get anything. So if you plant it next year you’ll have it by 2021. Not a non patient persons veg🤣 using it in this dish looks worth the wait though! I love ricotta! I just made orange honey cream with it
I’m so glad you told me that, Patrick. Maybe I’ll summon the time and energy to actually get it planted this year so I can have it by 2020 haha – I’m not a patient person, either! Orange honey cream sounds fantastic!
Love how easy this is Katherine! Don’t you love when asparagus is in season! Can’t wait to try this!
It’s SUPER easy, Mary Ann! And yes! I get so excited to see things come back into season. Hope you love it, my friend!
This looks creamy delicious Katherine! Love the versatility of ricotta cheese in both sweet and savoury dishes! And the asparagus is a nice addition! I can’t wait to roast some as a side with grilled steaks!
Thank you, Leanne! I don’t know why I don’t think to use ricotta more often in sweet dishes – thanks to your recipe I will be trying it very soon!
So glad to arrive to your place ! Perfect week dinner your way is what I need ! 🙂 Thank you so much !
So nice of you to say! Thank you!!
5 weeks to go already? Time really does fly! Asparagus is my favorite spring veggie and this pasta looks so creamy and delicious!
I know! It really snuck up this time – life moves too fast! I love asparagus too – I want to put it in everything these days! 🙂
You crack me up eating a carrot cake cupcake when you come home from a filling, lol!! 5 weeks!! Wow…
Love this pasta dish – such a perfect meal to welcome spring!
Haha!! I know. It was shameful 🙂 Thank you Marissa! It definitely makes me think of spring!!
We actually had sunshine and temps that finally climbed into the low 50’s today! Woo hoo! Ricotta is a great addition to the fettuccine, Katherine! I can eat this pasta for lunch and dinner in the same day!
That’s amazing! I am so jealous – I can’t wait for those warmer temperatures!! Thank you Thao – it’s definitely a twice in one day kind of dish 😉
This is precisely the kind of meal I like to keep in my wheelhouse! It’s only breakfast time, but I would sure love a dish of this!
Yes! It’s a great back-pocket meal when you’re short on time (and energy) 😉 It’s also a great breakfast option, haha. Thanks Annie!