Creamy Lemon Asparagus Pasta

Name: Creamy Lemon Asparagus Pasta
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 12 ounces penne or your favorite pasta shape; 1 bunch fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces; 1 cup frozen peas; 2 tablespoons butter; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 cup heavy cream; 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese; 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest; 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice; Salt and black pepper to taste

A bright and comforting one pot meal that brings fresh spring flavors to your dinner table in minutes.

By Recipes By Nani· 🌍 Italian· July 19, 2026

recipesbynani.com

Prep

10 minutes

Cook

15 minutes

Total

25 minutes

Serves

There is something so special about how lemon and asparagus pair together. This creamy pasta dish is one of my favorite go to meals when I want something that tastes fancy but is actually very easy to put together on a busy weeknight.

My best tip for this recipe is to keep a little bit of the starchy pasta water aside before you drain it. If the sauce looks a little too thick when you stir in the cheese, that splash of water will make everything perfectly silky and smooth.

🧺 Ingredients

12 ounces penne or your favorite pasta shape
1 bunch fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 cup frozen peas
2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Salt and black pepper to taste

👩‍🍳Instructions

1
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package directions.
2
During the last three minutes of boiling, add the asparagus pieces and frozen peas to the pot with the pasta.
3
Drain the pasta and vegetables, but save about half a cup of the cooking water before you do.
4
In the same pot, melt the butter over medium heat and cook the minced garlic for about one minute until it smells fragrant.
5
Pour in the heavy cream, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Let it simmer gently for two minutes.
6
Add the cooked pasta and vegetables back into the pot. Toss everything well to coat it in the cream sauce.
7
Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese. Add a splash of the reserved pasta water if you need to loosen up the sauce.
8
Season with salt and pepper to your liking and serve while warm.

💡 Tips

Serve this with an extra sprinkle of Parmesan and a few red pepper flakes if you like a little heat. If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days. You may need to add a tiny splash of milk or water when reheating as the pasta will soak up the sauce.

#vegetarian #pasta #dinner #easy dinner #spring recipes

Made this recipe? Let us know how it went.