Lemon Asparagus Pasta
on Mar 06, 2026
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Ready in 15 minutes, this lemon asparagus pasta is a simple vegetarian recipe. I sauté asparagus with garlic and lemon while ditalini pasta simmers on the stove. Then it all comes together with Parmesan, toasted pine nuts and fresh herbs. Make this for a veggie-packed spring dinner during asparagus season.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
If you’re looking for a quick and easy weeknight dinner, this one fits that description. Asparagus, lemon, garlic and parmesan are a quartet of ingredients that perform their best together. That means you don’t have to do much to whip up a fantastic meal.
This vegetable-centric pasta is the perfect way to kick off spring. No veggie is a better goodbye to winter than asparagus. I get so excited to see green. It feels like a new beginning in the kitchen, and I start looking forward to all the fantastic produce ahead.
It’s a break from the usual pasta shapes. Other than orzo, I find myself typically going for short shapes like orecchiette and penne or spaghetti and its long cousins. Tiny shapes should not be overlooked because they’re great with ingredients that are similar sizes.
The Ingredients
This is what you need:
- Asparagus: I choose bunches with spears that are about the same width because then they will cook in the same amount of time. My preference are thin to medium stalks.
- Ditalini pasta is a shape typically used in Italian soup recipes like my spring vegetable minestrone soup. Because I cut the asparagus into 1/4-inch long pieces, they are close in size to ditalini. Then you end up with a good mix of veggies and pasta in each bite.
- Lemon: I include both fresh lemon juice and zest, so you get all that nice citrus flavor that’s such a classic pairing with asparagus.
- Garlic: Lately, I’ve been using my microplane to mince garlic into a paste instead of just chopping it with my chef’s knife. It is faster and there’s less risk of it burning.
- Parmesan cheese quickly melts and lightly dresses the hot al dente pasta. I also sprinkle each serving with more grated parmesan when I plate it.
- Pine nuts: It’s important to toast the nuts in the oven to bring out their nutty flavor. I like to do this whenever I buy a package, so then I have toasted nuts ready when I need them for a recipe. Toast them for 5-7 minutes in a 350-degree F oven.
- Parsley: For an herby finish, I stir chopped parsley into the pasta and asparagus.
- Olive oil, Kosher salt and black pepper: These three pantry staples are for sautéing and seasoning the asparagus.
How To Make This Sautéed Asparagus Pasta Recipe
1. Cook the pasta. I start the ditalini about 5 minutes before I begin to sauté the asparagus. Then I don’t have to drain the pasta into a colander. Instead I use a slotted spoon to move it straight from the pot to the skillet.
2. Sauté the asparagus. Heat the oil in a big skillet or sauté pan over medium high heat. You want the asparagus to turn out tender, but still crisp. This will take 3-4 minutes.
3. Add the aromatics. That includes the minced garlic, salt and pepper and lemon juice. You will smell a lovely garlicky aroma in 30 seconds or so.
4. Fold in the ditalini, parmesan, pine nuts, lemon zest and parsley. As the cheese melts, it will lightly coat the lemony pasta.
Serving
Keeping with the green theme, I serve this pasta dinner with a salad like my simple arugula salad with lemon vinaigrette or a restaurant-worthy house salad with red wine vinaigrette. Focaccia or rustic country bread with a good crust is also a nice addition on the side.
More Spring Pasta Recipes
Spinach Pesto Asparagus Orzo
Spring Pea Pesto Pasta
Sheet Pan Asparagus Mushroom Gnocchi
Take a look at my collection of easy seasonal pasta recipes that also has some of my favorite ingredients and tips.
Lemon Asparagus Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 ounces ditalini pasta (2 cups)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1/4-inch-long pieces
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 lemon, juice and zest
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese plus more for serving
- 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley plus more for serving
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Instructions
- Cook the ditalini in salted boiling water in a large saucepan over high heat until just al dente following the recommended cook time on the package. (Start cooking the pasta about 5 minutes before sauteing the asparagus.)
- In a large skillet or sauté pan over medium high heat, warm the olive oil. Sauté the asparagus until bright green and crisp-tender, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add in the garlic, salt and pepper and lemon juice, allowing 30 seconds to 1 minute for everything to become fragrant.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked ditalini from the pot to the skillet and stir in the parmesan, pine nuts, lemon zest and parsley.
- Divide onto serving plates or into bowls, topping with more parmesan and parsley, as desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
