Skinny green asparagus goes oh-so-well with linguine, especially in a dish with the bright flavors of this one! The recipe below pairs sweet roasted asparagus with a zesty sauce of lemon and feta cheese. A touch of white wine and a nob of butter make this sauce luxurious enough for company, but the short ingredient list and quick cook time mean that you can actually whip it up any day of the week.
For this recipe, be sure to choose the thinnest asparagus you can, which will be much more palatable when served whole in this dish. They also have the added benefit of cooking even more quickly. In just under 20 minutes, they should be ready to toss with the pasta and sauce.
Vegetarian Lemon-Feta Linguine with Asparagus
6
10 minutes
30 minutes
40 minutes
1 pound asparagus, woody ends snapped off
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pound linguine
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 shallot, minced
1 pinch salt
1/4 cup white wine
juice and zest of 2 lemons
3 tablespoons cold butter, diced
6 ounces feta cheese
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
10 basil leaves, chiffonnade
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Toss the asparagus with the olive oil and salt, and place in an even layer on a baking sheet. Roast for 20 minutes, or until the asparagus is nice and caramelized.
After about 10 minutes of roasting, begin cooking the linguine according to package directions.
While the linguine cooks, make the sauce. Heat the oil over low heat and add the shallot and a pinch of salt. Cook until soft, about 3-4 minutes.
Add the wine and stir well. When the wine has reduced by about half, add the lemon juice and cook just until the sauce is hot. Remove from the heat and add the butter, whisking to emulsify.
Toss the pasta, asparagus, and sauce together until well combined. Add the lemon zest, feta, black pepper, and basil. Toss to combine and serve.