Fresh asparagus is turned into a creamy pesto sauce and tossed with orecchiette pasta to make this flavorful dish an absolute hit! This twist on a classic pesto is a delicious way to take advantage of asparagus season in a fun new way.
As soon as asparagus makes its way into the market in the spring, I can be found filling my grocery basket with a bunch or two at every visit. This versatile vegetable is fun to incorporate into all sorts of dishes.
Among my favorites are brunch dishes like Asparagus and Pea Quiche, appetizers like Asparagus Puff Pastry Tart, side dishes like Air Fryer Asparagus and Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus, and main courses including Creamy Asparagus Soup and Teriyaki Shrimp and Asparagus Stir Fry.
This Orecchiette Pasta with Asparagus Pesto is another fun way to turn asparagus into the star of your main coarse. And what better way than to pair it with pasta? If you are a pasta lover like I me, you are going to love this asparagus pasta recipe! You may also want to add my Asparagus Ricotta Ravioli with Herb Butter Sauce into your springtime meal rotation for good measure.
Turning Traditional Pesto into Asparagus Pesto
There is so much fun to be had by switching up the basil in a traditional pesto like in this Sun-dried Tomato Pesto or the mint pesto used in my Grilled Cheese with Peach, Spinach, Prosciutto.
Turning asparagus into pesto is a great way to incorporate it into a pasta dish! Essentially I took my traditional Basil Pesto and replaced the basil with asparagus instead. Otherwise, the pesto is comprised of similar ingredients like pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, herbs, garlic, olive oil, lemon, and salt.
Since the asparagus is cooked until tender before turning it into an asparagus pesto, it results in a more creamy pesto than the traditional type. It is absolutely dreamy!
The result is a creamy pasta dish that asparagus lovers will love! I opted to use orecchiette pasta but you can easily swap it for your favorite pasta.
Ingredients in Orecchiette Pasta with Asparagus Pesto
- Asparagus: one bunch, woody ends trimmed.
- Pasta: orecchiette pasta. If you can’t get your hands on orecchiette pasta, you can easily swap in another pasta like penne, bow ties, fusili, or even longer noodles like fettuccine and linguine.
- Parmesan cheese: grated Parmesan is used in the pesto and more can be added when serving. If you wish to make this recipe dairy-free or vegan you can replace it with a vegan alternative.
- Pine nuts: You can sub walnuts if you don’t have pine nuts or are looking for a more economical alternative.
- Garlic
- Olive oil: Use a good quality extra virgin olive oil.
- Herbs: fresh parsley or basil leaves.
- Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice will give you the best flavor.
- Seasoning: salt and pepper to taste.
**Note: Ingredient quantities and full instructions are in the recipe card at the end of this post.**
How to Make Orecchiette Pasta with Asparagus Pesto
- Cook the asparagus. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the asparagus to the pot and cook for a few minutes until tender. Remove and place in an ice bath to stop the cooking process.
- Cook the pasta. Add salt to the water in the pot and then add the pasta to the boiling water. Cook according to package directions.
- Prepare the asparagus. Cut the asparagus spears into thirds, reserving the tips for serving.
- Make the pesto. Place the rest of the asparagus in a food processor. Add the Parmesan cheese, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, parsley or basil, and salt (to taste). Puree it until smooth. You can add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to suit your tastes as well.
- Toss the pasta in the pesto sauce. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Add the asparagus pesto and asparagus tips and toss it with the pasta to coat it evenly. Season with more salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve. Spoon the pasta into pasta bowls and top with additional Parmesan cheese. Serve.
Storing leftovers and reheating
Leftover orecchiette and asparagus pesto can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge once it has cooled.
To reheat it, transfer the pasta and sauce to a pot or skillet with a little bit of water. Heat it over medium-low heat until warmed.
This orecchiette pasta with asparagus pesto dish is one we love to make during asparagus season. It is easy to make and it doesn’t require much in the way of ingredients either which is ideal (and the ones it uses are simple ingredients we usually already have on hand).
I hope you enjoy this pasta recipe as much as we do!
-Cathy
You may also like:
Asparagus Ricotta Ravioli with Herb Butter Sauce
Teriyaki Shrimp and Asparagus
Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus
Orecchiette Pasta with Asparagus Pesto
Ingredients
- 1 bunch asparagus woody ends trimmed
- 450 g orecchiette pasta uncooked (about 16 oz)
- 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese + more for serving, grated
- 1/4 cup pine nuts (can sub walnuts if you don't have pine nuts)
- 1 clove garlic optional
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or basil leaves
- lemon juice (optional)
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the asparagus to the pot and cook for a few minutes until tender. Remove and place in an ice bath to stop the cooking process.
- Add salt to the water in the pot and then add the pasta to the boiling water. Cook according to package directions.
- Cut the asparagus spears into thirds, reserving the tips for serving.
- Place the rest of the asparagus in a food processor. Add the Parmesan cheese, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, parsley or basil, and salt (to taste). Puree it until smooth. You can add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to suit your tastes as well.
- Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Add the asparagus pesto and asparagus tips and toss it with the pasta to coat it evenly. Season with more salt and pepper to taste.
- Spoon the pasta into pasta bowls and top with additional Parmesan cheese. Serve.
Note: Metric ingredient measurements are provided as a courtesy using a third-party calculator and are rounded to the nearest unit. The recipes provided on this site have not been tested with metric measurements and their accuracy cannot be verified.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is based on third-party calculations and is an estimate only. Accurate nutritional facts will vary based on the particular brands used, portion sizes, measurement accuracy and more.
