Creamy Lemon Asparagus Pasta

I will be honest. Halfway through creating this pasta dish, I was thinking it would be a total bust and would turn out super weird. I was thinking that using coconut milk (the kind from the can) would end up being an odd choice, but after I tossed it all together, it was seriously delicious.

This recipe is so refreshing and just feels like summer. Even though it’s pasta, it’s still light and refreshing, and just creamy enough to satisfy that specific “creamy carbs please” craving. This also proves that you can easily create creamy plant-based pasta dishes without involving dairy. Typically I use avocado or raw soaked cashews to achieve that creamy texture, but now I’m adding coconut milk onto that list.

I also put this together using my favorite gluten-free, high-protein pasta of choice: Banza. I have tried many types of gluten-free “clean” pastas and theirs is by far my favorite. I actually used to stop eating other pastas because I would get strange stomach cramps from them (no, not just from overeating!), but I don’t experience those stomach pains at all with Banza. Plus their pasta cooks up so well. So, if you haven’t tried them out, I highly recommend them. And no, this is not sponsored, I just really love their pasta.

This recipe will create four servings, but if you are like me and my husband, it will probably be more like two, three servings at most. That always happens when something is actually really delicious, right?

Ingredients:

• 1 box / 8 oz of pasta (I use Banza chickpea pasta)
• 1 bunch of asparagus (about 3 cups chopped)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 large onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk (the kind from the can)
• 1/2 cup vegetable broth + a few extra tablespoons for sautéing asparagus
• Juice from one lemon
• 2 tsp lemon zest
• 1/4 cup or less of chopped parsley for serving
• Salt & pepper to taste

Method:

1. Wash and chop asparagus into bite sized pieces.
2. Heat a pan over medium heat with a couple splashes of vegetable broth. Add asparagus and sauté for 3-5 minutes. You can also use oil to saute the asparagus, but I prefer to prepare mine oil-free.
3. Remove pan from heat. Set the asparagus aside in a bowl, and cover to keep it warm.
4. In the same pan, add a couple tablespoons of vegetable broth (or oil if you prefer) and warm it to medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes until onions are translucent, taking care not to burn the garlic.
5. Add coconut milk and lemon juice to the pan. Simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently, for about 15 minutes until sauce is a bit thicker (it won’t get super thick). Add salt and pepper to taste.
6. While sauce is simmering, cook your pasta.
7. Turn off the heat for the sauce after 15 minutes or so. Add your pasta to the pan with the sauce, and stir to coat.
8. You can add a bit more coconut milk if you want the sauce to be a bit creamier. I added a couple of extra teaspoons.
9. Toss in asparagus and lemon zest. Add on chopped parsley and salt & pepper to taste.
10. Enjoy!