This time of year delivers some pret-ty great produce. All of the green veggies are in season! This recipe from Cooking Light for Spring Vegetable Penne with Lemon Cream Sauce makes the most of some spring vegetables, asparagus and peas.
The pasta recipe is a “two pot meal” so it comes together pretty quickly without giving you too make dishes afterwards!
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1Â Vidalia or other sweet onion, chopped
- 1 (10-ounce) package presliced mushrooms
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1Â cup half-and-half
- 1Â cup fresh or frozen green peas
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons shaved Parmesan cheese, divided
- the zest of 1 lemon
- the juice of 1 lemon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 12Â ounces uncooked penne
- 1 pound (1-inch) diagonally cut asparagus
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions.
While waiting for the pasta to cook, heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, swirling to coat. Add the onion and mushrooms.
Cook for 5 minutes or until tender. Add the thyme and garlic, saute for 1 minute.
Sprinkle mushroom mixture evenly with the flour and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
Stir in the chicken broth and half and half.
Cook for 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Add the peas, 1/4 cup cheese, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
Cook for 1 minute or until peas are thoroughly heated.
During the last 3 minutes of your pasta cooking, add the cut asparagus to the pot.
Once the pasta is cooked, drain the asparagus and pasta. Add the mixture to the mushroom mixture, tossing to coat.
Spoon into 6 serving bowls and sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons cheese (1 teaspoon per bowl).
The earthiness of the mushrooms is offset with the fresh asparagus and peas and the bit of citrus from the lemon. I added another squeeze of lemon juice on my bowl before eating and it was delicious!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 Vidalia or other sweet onion, chopped
- 1 (10-ounce) package presliced mushrooms
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 1 cup fresh or frozen green peas
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons shaved Parmesan cheese, divided
- the zest of 1 lemon
- the juice of 1 lemon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 12 ounces uncooked penne
- 1 pound (1-inch) diagonally cut asparagus
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions.
- While waiting for the pasta to cook, heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, swirling to coat. Add the onion and mushrooms.
- Cook for 5 minutes or until tender. Add the thyme and garlic, saute for 1 minute.
- Sprinkle mushroom mixture evenly with the flour and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Stir in the chicken broth and half and half.
- Cook for 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Add the peas, 1/4 cup cheese, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
- Cook for 1 minute or until peas are thoroughly heated.
- During the last 3 minutes of your pasta cooking, add the cut asparagus to the pot.
- Once the pasta is cooked, drain the asparagus and pasta. Add the mixture to the mushroom mixture, tossing to coat.
- Spoon into 6 serving bowls and sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons cheese (1 teaspoon per bowl).
What do you think?