Asparagus Pancetta Pasta

This is fast becoming one of my favourite pasta dishes (and you know how many I have!). Not only for its simplicity, but it’s got such a lovely, light and vibrant flavour. I think you’re going to love it 😊 Follow me…

Asparagus Pancetta Pasta

Like all good things in life, this dish starts by rendering down the fat of some pancetta. This process not only helps the pancetta crisp up, but the excess fat adds loads of flavour AND is perfect for frying the asparagus.

What kind of asparagus am I looking for?

I typically grab a couple of bunches of ‘fine’ asparagus tips, but thicker ones will work just fine. In all cases, you’ll want to trim off the firm woody ends and dice the rest into chunks.

Asparagus Pasta Sauce

The sauce is made up of mascarpone and stock. The sauce is quite rich and salty, so I love adding a squeeze of lemon juice to balance everything out. There isn’t a huge amount of sauce before you add the pasta, but the excess water the pasta brings with it will thin out the sauce and help turn it thick and glossy. Just add in a splash more water if you need to loosen up the pasta. Process shots: fry pancetta (photo 1), fry asparagus (photo 2), fry spring onion and garlic (photo 3), add stock and mascarpone (photo 4), add basil, parmesan and lemon juice (photo 5), toss in pasta (photo 6).

Do I have to add the pancetta?

The pancetta adds so much flavour to the dish, I fear it won’t be as good without it. If you want to try it without consider doubling the parmesan to make up for the loss of flavour and season generously to taste.

What texture should the asparagus be?

I like mine al dente, but if you like it on the softer side just fry it a little longer. Just remember it’ll carry on cooking slightly as you make the sauce.

What kind of stock should I use?

I use either chicken or veg stock, whatever I’ve got on hand. Both work great!

What kind of pasta should I use?

Here I use linguine, but any kind of long-cut pasta should do the trick!

Serving Asparagus Pancetta Pasta

Once the sauce is thick and glossy, plate up right away (the sauce will thicken up quite quickly). From there, I love some extra basil to garnish. You could also serve with more lemon juice and/or parmesan if you’d like. For more asparagus pasta recipes check out my Baked Feta Orzo and Creamy One Pot Pasta! Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for this asparagus pasta shall we?!