Celebrate asparagus season with this elegant white asparagus pasta — tender, peeled spears in a silky lemon-cream sauce with parmesan. Ready in 20 minutes.
White asparagus season is short, precious and worth every bit of effort. These pale, delicate spears never see sunlight; they are harvested straight from the soil before they can develop any colour, which gives them a flavour that is softer, more buttery and more refined than their green cousins. This white asparagus pasta pairs them with a simple lemon cream sauce and shaved parmesan, letting the asparagus do exactly what it does best: taste like spring on a plate. Twenty minutes from start to finish, and genuinely one of the most elegant weeknight pastas you will ever make.
Everything You Need to Know About White Asparagus
White and green asparagus are the same plant; the difference is that white asparagus is grown under mounded soil to block all sunlight, preventing photosynthesis and keeping the spears completely pale. The result is a more delicate, slightly nutty flavour and a softer texture. The season runs from late March through June, depending on the region, so when you see them, grab them.
When choosing white asparagus, look for thick, firm, very white spears. Any pink tinge means they are past their prime. Unlike green asparagus, which you simply snap to find the tender point, white asparagus needs to be properly peeled from just below the head to the base, twice if the spears are thick. The fibrous outer layer will stay stringy and unpleasant if you skip this step, so take your time with it. Keep all the peelings and trimmings; they make an excellent base for a cream soup or purée.
Here are a few more ideas:
- White Asparagus Buckwheat Crepe
- White Asparagus Cream Soup
- How to Cook White Asparagus ~ Oma’s Spargel
The Sauce
The sauce is deliberately simple, heavy cream warmed with lemon zest, a squeeze of lemon juice, salt and pepper. Nothing that competes with the asparagus. The trick is to never let it boil; bring it to a gentle simmer just until the first bubble appears, then pull it off the heat. The asparagus goes into the warm cream to finish cooking, gently absorbing the lemon. Finish with generously shaved parmesan and freshly cracked black pepper, and that is genuinely all it needs.
FAQ
Can I use canned white asparagus?
Not recommended: canned white asparagus tastes mostly of brine and turns soft and sad in a cream sauce. Fresh is essential here and worth seeking out.
Can I substitute green asparagus?
Absolutely. Green asparagus will give you a more assertive, slightly grassy flavour and a firmer texture. No need to peel them; just snap off the woody ends and proceed with the recipe.
Can I make this ahead?
This pasta is best eaten immediately. The cream sauce thickens as it sits, and the asparagus continues to soften. Make it, serve it, enjoy it; it takes 20 minutes, so there is no need to prep ahead.
What pasta shape works best?
Fusilli, penne or farfalle hold the cream sauce well. Spaghetti or linguine works too if you prefer a more elegant presentation. Avoid very large pasta shapes; the asparagus pieces need to be proportional to the pasta.
White Asparagus Pasta
Ingredients
- 420 g White Asparagus
- 200 g pasta of your choice (fusilli, penne, farfadelle, spaghetti, etc)
- 250 ml heavy cream
- 1 organic lemon (it's zest and juice)
- parmesan
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Start by cleaning next cut the end of the asparagus (2cm off the edge) and then peel them (check details above).white asparagus pasta pin
- Cut the rest of the asparagus into 3 or 4 pieces.
- Cook them in a big pot of boiling water (use the same water later for the pasta) until cooked about 5-7 minutes (depending on the size of your asparagus).
- Take the asparagus out with a slotted spoon and reserve.
- Use the same water, add salt and cook the pasta in it.
- Add the cream to a small saucepan with the zest of a lemon, salt and pepper and slowly cook it until warm, it should not boil. (trick: when you see the first bubble pop, stop the heat)
- Add the white asparagus to the cream sauce to keep them warm.
- Drain the pasta, put it back in the big pot, add half the juice of the lemon and the cream sauce and mix.
Notes
- Peel white asparagus thoroughly, at least twice on thick spears, or the fibrous outer layer will stay stringy even after cooking. When in doubt, keep peeling.
- Use the asparagus cooking water to cook your pasta, it adds a subtle flavour to the pasta itself.
- Never boil the cream sauce; gentle heat only. Stop at the first bubble or the cream will split.
- Save all asparagus peelings and trimmings in a freezer bag for a cream soup later. Nothing goes to waste at this price.
- A splash of dry white wine added to the cream before the lemon takes this to another level if you have a bottle open.
Nutrition
Pin it!
13 Comments
Oh, asparagus, how I miss thee! I, unfortunately, can’t digest asparagus for the past few years for some reason otherwise I would be all about this pasta. It looks like spring on a plate! So light and delicate and full of flavour!
I love white asparagus but I’ve never been able to find them in Edmonton. Great pairing with lemon and parmigiano in this pasta!
What a great way to welcome Spring!
Great combination.
The perfect Spring dish, Marie. I am so excited it’s finally asparagus season again. I find that white asparagus is pretty hit and miss here in Canada (and much more popular in Europe). I asked our local asparagus farm why they don’t grow it and I guess it all comes down to the extra work and not enough demand. I beg to differ, though. I think the local restaurants would snap it up.
They are quite pricy and difficult to grow and manage i believe… but soo worth it! They must have some hidden ones somewhere in Canada… no?? Otherwise time to come visit Europe in spring time!
I think they come from California, unfortunately. My sister lives in the Okanagan and green asparagus grows wild in the ditches…I’m living in the wrong province.
I love of how light and beautiful this dinner looks! Thanks for sharing!
Fresh and light, exactly! I ve used quinoa cut pasta also;)
So pretty! And perfect for spring.
Amazing photos!! It is so spring 🙂 Our weather did “April joke”, today I woke up and was again.. snow :(…
Soon soon!
this looks crazy, and the photos are amazing not only that but this is perfect for summer and like that its so fresh and light.
Thanks!