Description
Spring vegetables meet creamy lemon sauce and salty ham in this vibrant pasta dish. A simple yet elegant weeknight meal.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1/2 lbs (227 g) asparagus
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 8 oz (227 g) button mushrooms
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 1/2 lbs (227 g) shell pasta
- 1 cup (237 ml) ham
- 1/2 cup (118 ml) sun dried tomatoes
- 1 cup (237 ml) parmesan cheese
- salt
- pepper
- 1 tbsp fresh basil
- 2 tbsp fresh italian parsley
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 1/2 tbsp flour
- 1 1/2 cups (355 ml) vegetable or chicken broth
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) half and half
- 1 lemon
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, boil 2 cups of water. Add asparagus and cook for 3–4 minutes until crisp-tender.
- While asparagus blanches, fill a medium-sized bowl with ice and water.
- With a slotted spoon or spider, transfer blanched asparagus to the ice bath to stop the cooking.
- Fill a 3-quart saucepan with water and a pinch of salt. Heat to boiling.
- Add pasta shells and cook until al dente according to package directions.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.
- Add mushrooms and cook until lightly browned (3–5 minutes).
- Transfer mushrooms to a bowl; drain off any collected liquid before adding to the final dish.
- FOR CREAMY LEMON SAUCE:
- Add butter and onion to the pan and sauté until the onion is softened.
- Stir in flour until well combined and no dry bits remain. Cook and stir for one minute until bubbly.
- Add chicken broth a little at a time, stirring and scraping the pan constantly. Cook until the mixture thickens into a sauce.
- Stir in half-and-half and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
- Drain the asparagus and pat dry with paper towels.
- Add the pasta and Parmesan cheese to the sauce mixture and toss well to combine.
- Stir in the asparagus, mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, and ham. Heat through over medium heat.
- Stir in basil and parsley just before serving.
- Use remaining Parmesan as a garnish, served on the side.
Notes
- For a richer flavor, use homemade chicken broth instead of store-bought.
- To make this dish vegetarian, omit the ham and add 1/2 cup of cooked chickpeas or white beans.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently over medium heat.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 500
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 600
- Fat: 25
- Saturated Fat: 15
- Unsaturated Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 60
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 20
- Cholesterol: 40