If you're in an "I need dinner done quickly, but also don't want to stand at the stove for an hour" era, this creamy one pot pasta with asparagus and spinach is calling your name. It's loaded with asparagus, spinach in a parmesan cream sauce. Oh, and, this is made in one pot.
One pot dinners are a lifesaver in my family. Whether they're made ahead of time or the night of (I always do this with my one pot parmesan rigatoni with garlic and my one pot cajun chicken and rice). For me, it's crucial to have recipes to rely on in your back pocket for nights where you don't know what to make but dinner's gotta be quick, fast, and kid-friendly.
TL; DR Summary - One Pot Asparagus Pasta
- 👩🏼🍳 Cook Level - Easy/Beginner
- ⏱️ Cook Time - 30 minutes
- 📖 Dietary Info: Dairy, gluten
- 😋 Taste: Creamy, tender pasta with perfect softened asparagus, wilted spinach and peas.
- 💖 Why You'll Love: One pot pasta dishes are great as a time-saver, can be prepped ahead of time, and if used for a meal prep, can save the headache of figuring out dinner (Or lunch!) for the week.
- 🍽️ Best Served With: I love making this with a large salad to start like my spring greens salad with a side of herby crusty garlic bread. You could also make some juicy oven roasted chicken thighs to pair with for more protein. Don't forget a dessert, like my kitchen sink skillet cookie!
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- TL; DR Summary - One Pot Asparagus Pasta
- Tried and True Tips and Reminders
- The Main Ingredients
- Simple Recipe Swaps and Substitutions
- How to make one pot asparagus and spinach pasta
- Mistakes I've Made (so YOU don't have to!)
- Asparagus and Spinach Pasta FAQs
- Other yummy one pot recipes are at your fingertips, here!
- One Pot Pasta with Asparagus and Spinach
Tried and True Tips and Reminders
- Use a Medium Low Flame - Add all the ingredients together and then lower to flame to a spot just between medium and low. The pasta will cook in the liquid, but it needs to be at a heat that isn't too strong to bubble over, and if it's too low, it'll take too long and the veggies will become soggy (this has happened to me!)
- Save Some Liquid - You need a little bit of liquid at the end to let the parmesan cheese combine and become the creamy texture you want in this dish. Try and aim for enough that just coats the bottom of the pot.
- Frozen Veggies Work, Too! - I love frozen veggies in this dish because it adds some liquid to help cook down the vegetables and also alleviates the vegetables from getting too soggy. Since the veggies go in frozen, they'll have some time to thaw, then sauté, and cook down.
The Main Ingredients
- Pasta - I chose to use a pasta with high fiber, high protein for this, but you can easily use whatever pasta you prefer. Gluten free pasta works here too, but choose one that you know won't fall apart.
- Vegetables - The vegetables I choose for this are ones that stand up well to being cooked in liquids. I also recommend using frozen vegetables to alleviate getting too mushy. You can swap out the spinach for kale, peas for snap peas, and asparagus for broccoli if you wanted.
- Garlic - I love using freshly sliced garlic in this type of recipe as it adds so much flavor.
- Shallot - Shallots are my favorite of the onion family, it gives a sweeter, less pungent onion flavor.
- Oil - Olive or avocado oil are my oils of choice for sautéing the vegetables and the garlic and onion.
- Bone Broth - I like to cook the entire dish using bone broth as it adds more protein into the dish and gives a creamy, savory flavor.
- Half and Half - A perfect balance of heavy cream and milk. It helps with the creaminess of the overall dish.
- Parmesan Cheese - I add just a quarter cup of parmesan cheese at the end to thicken it up and give the pasta its creamy flavor and texture.
Be sure to check out the recipe card at the end of this post for more information about quantities, measurements, and specific cooking instructions.
Simple Recipe Swaps and Substitutions
- Swap out any of the vegetables for others like kale, arugula, chard, snap peas, zucchini, or broccoli. All of these vegetables will work well in this type of one pot recipe. Personally, the green vegetables are perfect for this.
- If you are dairy free, swap out the half and half for coconut cream or almond milk. You could potentially use oat milk too, but I have not tested this.
- Gluten free pasta is a great substitution if you are dairy free, just be sure to use one that will stand up to being submerged in liquid for over 20 minutes and won't fall apart.
How to make one pot asparagus and spinach pasta
Step 1: In a large pot, pour in the olive oil and add the vegetables to sauté over a medium heat. Let the vegetables cook for 3-4 minutes until the spinach wilts and the asparagus softens.
Step 2: To the vegetables, add in the minced shallot and sliced garlic. Sauté until fragrant. Season with salt and pepper, then stir to combine.
Step 3: Once the vegetables are soft, pour in the dried pasta.
Step 4: Last, add in the bone broth and half and half. Bring the flame to a medium low and cover for 22-24 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed and the pasta is cooked to al dente.
Plate and garnish with a squeeze of lemon and fresh thyme.
Mistakes I've Made (so YOU don't have to!)
- PLEASEEE do not overcook the vegetables. They will completely fall apart which is what happened to me in my first test. A mushy mess of veggies is not what we are aiming for. Sauté the veggies to JUST fork tender, so they have a slight snap but can still be chewed without resistance.
- Do not, and I repeat, do NOT forget to keep the heat to a notch between medium and medium low. Any more or less than this will not result well.
- Don't forget to season with salt and pepper. I know, this sounds pretty standard and second nature, but in my experience, when you're throwing things together in just one pot, you tend to forget at least one thing, and for me that's S&P. So, just make sure you add it when you add in the garlic.
Asparagus and Spinach Pasta FAQs
Any leftover pasta can be stored in an airtight container and placed in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. You can also freeze this! Add to the freezer in the same container and store for up to 1-2 months. If you want thaw and reheat, add to a large frying pan with a tablespoon of water, and cook until creamy and warm.
The milk or milk alternative helps to add the creaminess of the dish, so yes it is necessary to use this.
Don't overcook or sauté the vegetables ahead of time. Using frozen vegetables might help this too.
Other yummy one pot recipes are at your fingertips, here!
Did you love this recipe? ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ If you're just as in love with this recipe as I am, please share a comment below and rate it! Better yet, share this recipe with family and friends!! Thank you!
One Pot Pasta with Asparagus and Spinach
Equipment
- large pot
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 bunch Asparagus chopped
- 1 cup Frozen Peas
- 2 cups Spinach
- 3 cloves Garlic finely sliced
- 1 medium Shallot minced
- 1 lb Pasta
- 2 cups Bone Broth or stock
- 1 ½ cups Half and Half
- ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese grated
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot, pour in the olive oil and add the vegetables to sauté over a medium heat. Let the vegetables cook for 3-4 minutes until the spinach wilts and the asparagus softens.
- To the vegetables, add in the minced shallot and sliced garlic. Sauté until fragrant. Season with salt and pepper, then stir to combine.
- Once the vegetables are soft, pour in the dried pasta.
- Last, add in the bone broth and half and half. Bring the flame to a medium low and cover for 22-24 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed and the pasta is cooked to al dente.
Rachel M. says
I am always looking for an easy dinner to just add to one pot and keep things simple, and this was perfect. I didn't do asparagus because I don't love it, so we did one of your suggestions for spinach, zucchini and the peas and it was delicious. Even better next day!