Recipe of the Month: Lemony Pasta With Asparagus & Mushrooms

Fall is just around the corner. For those sensitive to shorter days, a hearty, carb-packed dinner is not only satisfying, but can improve your mood due to the serotonin boost in the brain.

 

This bright and delicious meal is a twist on Pasta Primavera, focusing on the best qualities of the main ingredients: a luxurious cut of pasta, typically reserved for the heavier bolognese, and the beautiful bounty of asparagus and creamy mushrooms. Pappardelle makes for a luxurious presentation, but any wide pasta should suffice. 

We hope you enjoy this simple and elegant dish. Bon appetit!

 

Ingredients 

• 8 oz Pappardelle or Fettuccine 
• 1 lb baby bell (Cremini) mushrooms, sliced
• 1 lb asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1.5” pieces
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin olive oil
• 1 1/4 cup chicken or vegetable broth
• 3 Tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
• 1 Tablespoon fresh grated lemon zest
• ½ cup fat free sour cream or fat free Greek yogurt
• 4 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, Cook pasta according to package directions.  Set aside.
 
In a large skillet, sauté garlic in olive oil over low-medium heat until soft, about 2 minutes.  Stir to keep the garlic from browning (which will result in a bitter flavor, and a start-all-over-again!)  

Add the mushrooms and ¼ cup broth to the olive oil and cook over low-medium heat until mushrooms are soft, about 3 minutes.  Add remaining broth, lemon juice, and lemon zest and cook over medium heat until liquid is reduced by half, approximately 4 minutes. 

Add the asparagus and cook over medium heat until asparagus is soft, about 3 minutes, taste testing for desired consistency. 

Reduce heat to low.  Add sour cream or yogurt and stir to combine.  Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Fold in the noodles and stir to coat the pasta.  Divide pasta onto 4 plates and top with parmesan cheese – and enjoy!