Zucchini noodles are cool and all, but have you tried asparagus noodles? Like bright green fettuccine, this asparagus pasta makes a delicious low carb dinner!
Asparagus season is *kind of* a big deal over here in Europe. Who knows, maybe it’s a big deal everywhere, but I didn’t really get into food until I moved here and then you start noticing things like asparagus season (does this make me a real adult now?)
I digress…asparagus. We love it, we cherish it, and it’s finally in season! So today we’re cooking up a big bowl of it in the form of this healthy asparagus pasta recipe!
Unlike most vegetable noodle recipes which require spiralizers, this asparagus pasta is made with just a vegetable peeler and a bunch of asparagus! You’ll essentially just shave your asparagus lengthwise to create long fettuccine-like noodles. Saute oh-so briefly to tenderize the noodles slightly, then stir in your favorite pasta add-ins!
Reader rating
“Love asparagus and thought This recipe sounded interesting. It was a bit tricky at first to shave the asparagus not my finger but I soon got the hang of it! The taste was delicious and my husband loved it too. It’s going to be a regular in our house.” —Jane
asparagus noodle Ingredients
- Asparagus: Aim for the largest asparagus you can find, which will make for longer noodles that are easier to peel.
- Pesto: Make your own classic pesto or make pesto out of carrot tops and spinach!
- Extras: I love to sprinkle in some crumbled feta and pine nuts, but you could add whatever you’re feeling.
How To Make Asparagus Noodles
Step 1: Shave
Clean and dry asparagus to remove any dirt. Break off or trim the bottom inch of each spear (this part is super chewy, we don’t want that). Use a vegetable peeler to shave the asparagus into long strips, moving from the tip to the bottom. This can take a few tries to get right, but you’ll get there!
Step 2: Saute
No boiling here! We’ll just cook the asparagus noodles very briefly in a pan. Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium/high heat, then add asparagus. Cook, tossing frequently, until asparagus noodles are bright green and slightly tender, just 1 to 2 minutes.
Step 3: Serve
Stir in pesto and feta, topping with pine nuts, salt, and pepper (these are more of suggestions – you can add any sauce of topping you want really!)
Variations on asparagus pasta
I love the pesto/feta version of this asparagus pasta, but it would also be great with:
- Romesco Sauce (and roasted cherry tomatoes)
- Vegan Yum Sauce (and roasted chickpeas)
- Roasted Garlic Cream Sauce (and a fried egg)
Ingredients
- 1 lb asparagus 450 g
- 1 tsp olive oil 5 mL
- ¼ cup pesto 60 g
- ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese 30 g
- Garnish with pine nuts, coarse sea salt, black pepper
Instructions
- Shave: Clean and dry asparagus. Break off the tough bottom inch of each spear. Use a vegetable peeler to shave the asparagus into long strips, moving from the tip to the bottom.
- Saute: Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium/high heat, then add asparagus. Cook, tossing frequently, until asparagus noodles are bright green and slightly tender, just 1 to 2 minutes.
- Serve: Stir in pesto and feta, topping with pine nuts, salt, and pepper.
Jenn Hilton says
Hi Sarah, pesto is awesome!! I’m vegan so I leave out the cheese, and I freeze the pesto in blobs on wax paper on a cookie sheet. Then put in a plastic baggie for winter use. I was told that omitting the cheese it freezes better. Add it in later. Have fun! Jen
Sarah says
Oh I’ll have to try that! Thanks for the tip, Jenn! 😀
Jane Whittingham says
Love asparagus and thought This recipe sounded interesting. It was a bit tricky at first to shave the asparagus not my finger but I soon got the hang of it! The taste was delicious and my husband loved it too. It’s going to be a regular in our house
Sarah Bond says
So happy to hear it, Jane! Shaving the asparagus does take a few tried to get right, glad you finally got there!
John says
I have enjoyed your web site for some time now and as it’s “asparagus” time in SW Ga and I have wanted to try fix’n Shaved Asparagus Noodles for sometime. I tried tonight but could not “shave” them even after trying several tools/knives. After supper I came back to your site to see what you had used. To my surprise it was a tool/knife I have not seen before. Would you please share with me the name/brand of the tool you were using in the picture of the prep? My peeler is very different than yours.
Happy New Year,
John
Sarah Bond says
Hi John! This is just a vegetable peeler, I’m not sure where I got it from unfortunately!