Description
A quick and light pasta dish featuring asparagus, peas, lemon, and fresh mint, built on a simple garlic and olive oil base.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz spaghetti or linguine
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup frozen sweet peas
- 1/2 cup dry white wine or pasta water
- Zest of 1 large lemon
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (for breadcrumbs)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water before draining.
- While the pasta cooks, heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the sliced garlic and cook slowly until fragrant and lightly golden, about 3-4 minutes. Do not let the garlic burn.
- Increase the heat to medium. Add the asparagus pieces to the skillet and sauté for 3 minutes until slightly tender-crisp.
- Add the frozen peas and cook for 2 minutes more.
- Add the white wine or 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water to the skillet. Let it simmer for 1 minute, scraping up any bits from the bottom.
- Add the drained pasta, lemon zest, and lemon juice to the skillet. Toss well to coat. Add more pasta water, a splash at a time, until a light sauce forms.
- In a separate small pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the panko breadcrumbs and toast, stirring constantly, until golden brown and crisp, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat immediately.
- Remove the pasta from the heat. Stir in the fresh mint and parsley. Season generously with salt and pepper.
- Divide the pasta among bowls. Top each serving with a sprinkle of the toasted breadcrumbs.
Notes
- Toast the breadcrumbs separately for the best texture contrast.
- Use high-quality extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor in this simple sauce.
- If you prefer a richer sauce, add 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese at the end, though this deviates from a strict Aglio e Olio style.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 20 min
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 350
- Fat: 20
- Saturated Fat: 3
- Unsaturated Fat: 17
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 78
- Fiber: 6
- Protein: 18
- Cholesterol: 0