Spring Asparagus Marinara Pasta

This Spring Asparagus Marinara Pasta recipe makes a delectable meal of baby shell pasta, asparagus, onion, garlic, marinara sauce and Parmesan cheese that will satisfy your hunger!

I’ve been working to eat vegetarian at least one night per week. We’ve been pretty good about sticking to this plan. Personally, I think it’s a good idea for three reasons:

1) It’s healthy.

2) It’s cheap.

3) It’s good for the environment.

I also think it forces me to try new things and get creative with our meals.

That  brings me to last night’s dinner: Spring Asparagus Marinara Pasta. What is not to like about asparagus in marinara sauce!

Yum! I found this Spring asparagus pasta to be perfectly filling; enough to satisfy my appetite, but not so heavy that I felt overly full.

I blanched one bunch of asparagus in boiling water until tender-crisp, then removed it to a cutting board and chopped it.

I used the same pot of water to cook my whole wheat pasta, then drained it reserved about a cup of the (green) cooking liquid. I cranked the heat to high and added some chopped onions and garlic to the pot with a splash of oil until the whole mess was golden brown.

I then de-glazed the pan with red wine, brought it to a boil, reduced it to a simmer, and added marinara sauce (I used Gina’s version over at SkinnyTaste, who inspired this recipe, but feel free to use the store-bought kind if you have some) and a little balsamic vinegar.

I returned the asparagus and pasta to the pot, gave it a stir, and added a little of the cooking liquid back into the pot to make sure the sauce coated every little morsel. I folded in some freshly grated Parmesan cheese to really send it over the top.

Again… Yum, this is such a delicious pasta marinara recipe!

Spring Asparagus Marinara Pasta Recipe

This Spring Asparagus Marinara Pasta recipe makes a delectable meal of baby shell pasta, asparagus, onion, garlic, marinara sauce and Parmesan cheese that will satisfy your hunger!

5 from 2 votes

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Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Cook Time: 30 minutes mins

Total Time: 30 minutes mins

Servings: 4 Servings

Calories: 206kcal

Author: Linda

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Ingredients

• ▢ 8 oz whole wheat pasta - I used baby shells, but you could try penne or maybe bowtie
• ▢ 1 bunch asparagus - tough ends trimmed
• ▢ 1 half onion - diced
• ▢ 1 clove garlic - minced
• ▢ 1/4 c. Parmesan cheese - plus more for garnish
• ▢ 2 tsp. olive oil
• ▢ 3 Tbsp. red wine
• ▢ 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
• ▢ 1 1/2 cups marinara sauce
• ▢ salt and pepper to taste

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Instructions

• Boil 6 cups of water in a large pot. Add the asparagus and cook for 2-3 minutes until it is tender-crisp (it will be bright green and tender but not limp)
• Remove asparagus from pot but reserve the water. Add your pasta to the water and cook according to package directions, or until al dente.
• Meanwhile, dice your onion, mince your garlic, and chop your cooked asparagus.
• Once cooked, drain your pasta and set aside. Reserve about a cup of cooking liquid.
• Add the oil, onion, and garlic to your pot and cook on medium-high until golden brown, stirring occasionally.
• Add the red wine to de-glaze the pan. Let the wine come to a boil and use a wooden spoon to scrape any good brown bits from the bottom of your pan. Reduce the heat to simmer and add your marinara sauce and balsamic vinegar. Stir to combine.
• Return the cooked pasta and chopped cooked asparagus to the pan. Add a little cooking liquid if the mixture is too thick, and stir in your Parmesan cheese. Adjust salt and pepper if needed.
• Serve topped with additional Parmesan cheese.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 206kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 613mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g