Roasted Asparagus Pasta

Roasted Asparagus Pasta is the perfect way to enjoy fresh spring asparagus! Tender asparagus tossed with penne in a creamy roasted garlic sauce.

I heart asparagus. It is really one of my favorite vegetables. It is so versatile. You can make it baked with bread crumbs, or wrap it in bacon, make Asparagus Risotto . Heck! You can even make Asparagus Fries. Like I said, asparagus is a vegetable that you can use in so many different ways. 

And yet, if I ask my family if they want asparagus, it’s always a “well, I guess”. That is why I have to get creative and add it to things. Take this Roasted Asparagus Pasta, tender roasted asparagus tossed in a creamy roasted garlic sauce was just the kind of recipe that my family fell in love with. 

My family loved the flavor of it, I loved the ease of making it. If you roast the garlic ahead of time (or buy it already made) it is even easier to make.

Here’s a little bit about the ingredients you’ll need.

Roasted Asparagus Pasta Ingredients:

GARLIC: You will be roasting your own garlic in this recipe. It’s really easy to do but if you are short on time (it takes about 40 minutes) you can always buy some pre-roasted.

OLIVE OIL

ASPARAGUS: When picking your asparagus make sure that the spears aren’t too thick or too thin. The thicker pieces tend to be a bit “woodier”. If they are too thin they will cook too fast in the oven and risk burning.

SALT AND PEPPER

PENNE PASTA: I use penne in this recipe, but you could use any short pasta shape that you want. Ziti, shells or elbows would work great!

BUTTER

HEAVY CREAM: Heavy cream is what is going to give this sauce it’s creaminess. Make sure you’re using heavy cream and not half/half or lower fat milk.

Step by Step Instructions and Photos:

STEP #1: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut the top 1/4 inch off the garlic. Place garlic on a piece of aluminum foil. Drizzle 1 teaspoon olive oil over the top. Wrap in the foil and roast for 40 – 45 minutes or until browned and soft. Remove from oven. Allow to cool. Use a fork to remove cloves. Mash together in a bowl.

STEP #2: Toss the cut asparagus with salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Roast in oven for 10 minutes.

STEP #3: While asparagus is roasting, bring a large pot of water to boil and cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain.

STEP #4: In the same pot you cooked the pasta in, melt butter. Stir in roasted garlic and cream. Return pasta to the pan and add roasted asparagus. Toss to coat the pasta and asparagus in the cream sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve.

This is a great option for the vegetarians in your life too! Its creamy, hearty and so delicious. If you want to make it even heartier, you could add some diced chicken or cooked shrimp.

If you’re looking for something to serve along side, make some Garlic Vinaigrette to dress a salad and of course some of the easiest garlic bread you’ll ever make!

Note: This recipe was originally posted in 2014. It was updated with new photos, nutrition information and a slightly modified recipe in 2022.

If you’re looking for more Asparagus Recipes, check these out:

• Beef & Asparagus Pasta Toss
• Cod and Asparagus Sheet Pan Dinner
• Shrimp and Asparagus Stir Fry

Need more easy pasta recipes? Try these:

• Spaghetti with Browned Butter and Mizithra
• Filipino Pancit Recipe
• Shrimp Linguine with Zucchini and Tomatoes

Roasted Asparagus Pasta

Asparagus Pasta is the perfect way to enjoy fresh spring asparagus! Tender asparagus tossed with penne in a creamy roasted garlic sauce.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 1 hr

Total Time 1 hr 10 mins

Course Main Dishes

Cuisine American

Servings 4 Servings

Calories 348 kcal

Ingredients

  

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Ingredients:

• ▢ 1 whole head garlic
• ▢ 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
• ▢ 1 - 1 1/2 pounds asparagus tough ends trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ 8 ounces dried penne pasta
• ▢ 2 tablespoons butter
• ▢ 1/4 cup heavy cream

Instructions

 

• ▢
  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• ▢
  Cut the top 1/4 inch off the garlic. Place garlic on a piece of aluminum foil. Drizzle 1 teaspoon olive oil over the top. Wrap in the foil and roast for 40 - 45 minutes or until browned and soft. Remove from oven. Allow to cool. Use a fork to remove cloves. Mash together in a bowl.
• ▢
  Toss the cut asparagus with salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Roast in oven for 10 minutes.
• ▢
  While asparagus is roasting, bring a large pot of water to boil and cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain.
• ▢
  In the same pot you cooked the pasta in, melt butter. Stir in roasted garlic and cream. Return pasta to the pan and add roasted asparagus. Toss to coat the pasta and asparagus in the cream sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve.

Notes

You can substitute another short pasta for the penne. Elbows, shells or ziti would be great options. 

When picking your asparagus make sure that the spears aren't too thick or too thin. The thicker pieces tend to be a bit "woodier". If they are too thin they will cook too fast in the oven and risk burning.

Nutrition information for estimation purposes only. 

Nutrition

Calories: 348kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 12gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 18mgSodium: 310mgPotassium: 501mgFiber: 5gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 1518IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 74mgIron: 4mg

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Keywords: asparagus, pasta, roasted garlic