spring pea + asparagus pasta
In the nearly four years we’ve been married, my husband and I have learned most of each others’ quirks. Like how I have a very specific sense of order about my things and if they are moved even an inch by my husband, I notice. Or, how he couldn’t care less about the cleanliness of our apartment, but his shirts must be folded perfectly. Or, how he believes anything above 40 degrees outside is “shorts weather,” whereas I could be up to my neck in a snuggie until July — unless it’s nighttime, in which case he’s freezing all night and I always feel like a marshmallow roasting over a fire.
It doesn’t stop when it comes to food, either. While we both do love a good Chipotle run, I definitely have my “single girl” dinners (read: salad, quinoa, Velveeta mac n’ cheese, cookies) whereas he has his own preferences (read: Chips, pizza rolls, frozen pizza, beer). Oftentimes we can agree on a home-cooked meal that satisfies both sets of tastebuds, but it doesn’t always happen. And sometimes, I’m surprised by what he actually does like (because really, it’s mostly chips and pizza).
This pasta falls in the “surprising” category. I made it on one of our very first warm spring nights, when we could finally take advantage of sitting outside for dinner. He’d just come home from happy hour with a friend and, already having imbibed two beers and eaten an appetizer portion of spinach-artichoke dip all by himself (so proud, I am), I hardly expected him to even take a glance at the fresh, veggie-filled pasta meal I’d prepared for myself. Yet, somehow, he managed to find some room in that bottomless stomach of his to not only try the pasta, but eat a full serving of it, happily. If my mouth wasn’t so full itself of this delicious dish, my jaw might have been on the floor.
But no, it gets better. Because my man isn’t the biggest fan of leftovers, either, and yet he continued to eat the pasta, day after day (I made a lot of pasta), and on its final day, he ate it for both lunch and dinner. Without complaint. Maybe he was just being nice in helping me finish the leftovers (I have this weird thing where we must eat ALL THE THINGS in the fridge before they go bad), but I like to think he actually liked eating the vegetables. I suppose when you’ve covered them in oil and butter and cheese, though, anyone would. BUT STILL.
My point is, this recipe is a keeper on our dinner rotation: snuggled in right next to the frozen pizza and the quinoa. And the Chipotle.
Spring Pea and Asparagus Pasta
Adapted from Cookie + Kate
Yields: 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients:
1 lb medium pasta shells
4 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
5 shallots, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced widthwise
1 lb asparagus, ends snapped off, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 cups sweet peas
2/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
Juice from one lemon
1 cup chopped fresh herbs (I used flat-leaf parsley, mint, chives and baby dill)
3/4 cup roasted sunflower seeds (preferably unsalted)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; cook pasta shells 2 minutes less than package directs for al dente noodles. Drain noodles, reserving 2 cups of the pasta water, and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots, some salt and pepper, and cook until shallots are lightly golden, about 3 minutes.
Add asparagus, garlic and more salt to taste. Cook, stirring often, until asparagus is knife-tender, about 3 minutes. Add peas and cook another 2 minutes.
Add pasta to the skillet along with a scant cup of the reserved pasta water. Cook, stirring often, until pasta is well coated, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; transfer pasta mixture to a large serving bowl.
Add cheese and butter; stir to coat (add more pasta water at this point if needed so that pasta is loose but not watery). Add lemon zest, lemon juice, herbs and sunflower seeds; stir to combine. Add more salt and pepper, if needed. Sprinkle with more cheese and a drizzle of olive oil just before serving.
Your husband and my boy sound quite similar…and so do our relationships. I notice the second he moves anything in our apartment…and it never ceases to amaze him. I LOVE all the veggies in this pasta! Looks like spring!
This sounds wonderful! Love this idea!
haha. This post made me smile and this past sound delicious!
I love the fact you and your husband can predict each other movements. So cute. this pasta is my favourite kind, the ones simple dressed in good olive oil, cheese and lots of veggies. Beautiful.
I think our husbands are the same person, lol. What is it with the shirt folding???
Gorgeous pasta! Makes me feel springy and happy 🙂
This pasta sounds great! My boyfriend is a little too lazy to make his own meals, so even if he doesn’t like what I’ve made, he’ll eat it anyway. And usually go back up for seconds. It’s entirely possible he actually likes everything I make, but just wants to talk about how delicious Taco Bell is the entire time anyway.
Joanne — Ha! I’m glad I’m not the only one with that quirk! 🙂 Thank you, love!
Katrina — Thank you!
This is B E A UTIFUL Stephanie!
Tieghan — Haha, glad I could make you smile with my weirdness! 😉 Thank you!
Belinda — Aw, thank you, dear! And it’s my favorite kind of pasta, too, for sure! 🙂
Erin — SERIOUSLY. I’ll never understand. 🙂 Thanks!
Kelly — Bahaha, your BF and my husband are the same. Only my husband loves to talk about McDonald’s breakfast. 🙂 Thanks, dear!
Claire — Thank you, lady! 🙂
Geez.. that looks incredible..
Erika — Thank you! 🙂
Chipotle is one of my favorite burrito places ever! We have Qdoba in this area too which is similar to Chipotle but I think Chipotle is better. 🙂 Your pasta looks so fresh, healthful and full of flavor! Definitely a great meal for any night of the week!
Yum! This meal looks right up my alley! Love the sunflower seeds! I’m totally the same way when it comes to eating all of the leftovers, haha. It seriously stresses me out sometimes! Right now we’re in the midst of consuming an enormous amount of leftover servings of paella… not complaining though 🙂
Julia — I’ve heard good things about Qdoba, but since my husband is OBSESSED with Chipotle we aren’t allowed to go anywhere else. 😉 Thanks, love!
Marie — Oooh, love paella, even as leftovers! We have leftover burritos we need to finish, so I’m not complaining right now either. 🙂 Thanks, dear!
I am LOVING the sunflower seed addition – YUM!
Ha! I love my single girl meals too. Now, you have me craving Chipotle and this pasta!
Nothing says spring to me more than this pasta!
Heather — It’s my favorite part! I love it 🙂 Thanks!
Lauren — Haha, looks like you’ve got lunch AND dinner planned then! 😉 Thanks!
Laura — Thank you, dear!
This looks amazing! I’m sure everyone in my family would love and devour this as well! Pinned 🙂
Love the quirks, its what makes marriage fun right?
Rachel — Thank you, dear! I hope they do love it 🙂
Gerry — Definitely. Most of the time, anyway! 🙂
This looks incredible! Cannot wait to try it. Thanks for sharing!
Kelly — Thank you! 🙂
I love a good springy pasta. Always with cheese! Your husband sounds like mine. He is a huge fan of pizza rolls. I never understood the obsession with that molten cheese that almost always burns the heck out of your tongue. I am with you, I just made some shells and cheese for myself the other night while my husband was out. Soooo good!
Stefanie — YES. What is it with those dang pizza rolls? We should have dinner together and eat yummy shells and cheese and leave them to their frozen pizza-flavored junk food. 🙂
I love simple, fresh spring dishes like this… It looks absolutely delicious and easy enough to whip up for a weeknight! Thanks for sharing, Stephanie!
Georgia — Those are the best kind of dishes, I think 🙂 Thanks, dear!
You and your husband are too cute! And dude, “single” dinners are a must! Jason would never go near any kind of quinoa or whole wheat-related foods. But this, I think he’d gobble this up no problem!
our husbands sound similar; mine also wears shorts in 40 degree weather and does not love “healthy” food but I’ll have to make this one for him!
Sweet mother of pearl, I want a big bowl of that. Although it sounds like I might have to fight hubby for it….
On another note…am I the only one that finds shallots confusing? Like, what is “one shallot”? Is it the whole ding-dang thing, or is it referring to one little clove-y section? MY BRAIN CAN’T TAKE IT.
haha finding quirks of one another bugs me – i know it’s cute and all but sometimes i’m like “wtf?!” – this pasta looks just delicious! i love how springilicious it is!
This looks gorgeous, lady! And all of Kate’s recipes are always winners, so I know it tastes as good as it looks 🙂
Chung-Ah — Ha, I’d swear my husband would claim he’s allergic to quinoa if he could 🙂 Thanks, dear!
This dish looks out-of-this world delicious!!! I can’t wait to try this very soon!!!
Erika — I’ll never understand the shorts thing… though I guess I do sometimes wear skirts without tights just to defy the weather. 🙂 Hope you like the recipe!
Stephie — Bahahahaha the shallots. YES. So confusing. I sorta made it up with this recipe. 🙂
Julie — THANK YOU. I feel like a douche sometimes for not loving all his quirks, but really?? Your shirts have to be perfectly folded but you’ll leave your dishes all over the place for days? 😉 Also, love “springilicious”! I might borrow that one. 🙂
Ashley — Thank you, dear! She definitely knows how to make a good pasta dish!
Robyn — Thank you so much! Hope you love it! 🙂
haha! this post made me laugh. you guys sound like us. This pasta dish is the perfect spring time meal! yum!
dishing up the dirt — Haha, I’m glad we’re not the only ones! 🙂 Thanks!
I just bought a bunch of asparagus – this sounds perfect!!
I love how bright and vibrant this is! Definitely a perfect spring meal.
Deborah — Isn’t asparagus just amazing this time of year? Hope you love the recipe! 🙂
Kathryn — Thank you, dear!
What a cute post! My husband is also a bottomless-pit, but thankfully he likes basically everything! I’ve made a pasta similar to this before with some fresh ricotta thrown in at the end, it works very nicely with the lemon zest.
Pippa — Mmm, fresh ricotta sounds like a magical addition. And lucky you for having a husband who enjoys everything! 🙂 Thanks, dear!
My goodness this looks good. I have slowly over the years converted my hubby into being a veggie lover. Don’t get me wrong, he still needs his meat, but he is warming to veggie dishes. Like you said, the cheese and butter don’t hurt the cause!
Madison — Thanks, dear! I’ve learned that if you mention the cheese and butter before the veggies, they’ll be more apt to try it. Whatever works! 😉
Ah looks so delish! This looks like it would be amazing as cold leftover too… Yum!
Tia — It is SO GOOD cold, actually! Thank you! 🙂
Ohhhh this DOES sound super good! And a great way to eat a lot of vegetables, too 🙂 I laughed when you referred to your “single girl dinners” I still like to have those every once in a while too! Jeremy always laughs at me when I tell him I had a bag of popcorn and a popsicle for dinner, but darn it we’re adults and sometimes we just want to eat a weird combination of things and that’s completely okay. But yes, I am going to make this soon!!! I love the idea of cheese, pasta, and asparagus all mixed together 🙂
Eva — I agree; sometimes popcorn and a popsicle is just what you need! 🙂 Thanks, girl!
Yum, this pasta looks so perfect for spring…how could anyone not like it? (:
Caroline — I know, right? 😉 Thank you!
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I enjoyed reading this post. Very much. You are not alone in the differences between you and your husband. They’re truly a different animal.
Your pasta and veggies look yummy! This is my kind of meal!
Renee — Haha, they really are! Thank you!