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This simple asparagus and mushroom pasta recipe is a light and flavorful meatless dish that comes together quickly and tastes like spring! It’s made with very few ingredients.
Try my Easy Roasted Asparagus or Easy Asparagus Soup next.
Why you’ll love it
Asparagus season is my favorite, and this easy asparagus pasta with mushrooms is the best way to welcome in spring. It packs in a ton of flavor while being on the lighter side. The burst of lemon juice really makes this pasta special. The buttery sauce is so elegant!
One lovely reader says that she couldn’t believe how great this asparagus mushroom pasta tasted with so little effort! It uses everyday ingredients, and the mushrooms become infused all that garlicky, lemony goodness. It’s the perfect 30-minute spring pasta.
What you’ll need
- Pasta – I chose bowtie, but you can use another shape
- Asparagus – the star of the show! I have lots of tips throughout the post for choosing it.
- Butter and olive oil – for sautéing and making the base of the sauce
- Mushrooms – I chose white mushrooms aka button mushrooms
- Garlic – for more savory flavor
- Lemon juice – it adds acidity and freshness
- Parmesan – totally optional but highly recommended
Pro tip
When you’re at the grocery store or farmers’ market choosing a bunch of asparagus, look for a bright, vibrant shade of green. The stalks should be thicker rather than thinner and not have any cracks. In fresh, healthy asparagus, you’ll want to have tips that are nicely compact and tight!
Helpful tips
- I find it easiest to trim asparagus by leaving the elastic band on the bunch and cutting off the dry, woody ends all in one go with a sharp knife.
- You could also just snap off the ends, but that does take longer and could also discard more than necessary.
How to make asparagus mushroom pasta
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Boil the pasta until al dente. Meanwhile, melt the butter and olive oil in a skillet. Cut the asparagus into bite-sized pieces, and add to the pan. Cook for a few minutes until tender-crisp. Add the mushrooms, and cook until softened.
Stir in the garlic, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Cook for a few minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving a little pasta water for the sauce if desired. Toss the pasta with the sauce. Serve, and top with parmesan if using.
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- This is the skillet I use to make this vegetarian pasta.
- A garlic press makes it super quick to mince garlic without even peeling the cloves.
- If you’re topping with fresh parm, grate it with a Microplane zester.
Substitutions and variations
- If you don’t have any white mushrooms, cremini/baby bellas or whatever variety you’ve got on hand will be just fine.
- Toss in a handful of fresh spinach towards the end for some extra greens.
- Other reader suggestions include adding in cooked chicken and topping with grated lemon zest.
What to serve with mushroom asparagus pasta
- Pair with a slice of fresh crusty bread like a French baguette with olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dipping. A glass of white wine would also be great if that’s your thing!
- If you’re craving a salad, try my Super Simple Parmesan Arugula Salad or spring mix with my Creamy Balsamic Dressing.
Leftovers and storage
- Store leftovers in the fridge for a few days in the fridge in an airtight container.
- If you’re anticipating having a lot left over, I would suggest storing the sauce separately and boiling up fresh pasta when you’re ready to eat.
- I don’t recommend freezing this one.
If you made this healthy asparagus and mushroom pasta recipe, please leave a star rating and review below! You can also tag me on Instagram if you made it or any S&L recipe.
Asparagus and Mushroom Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 ounces uncooked bowtie pasta
- 1/2 pound asparagus ends trimmed
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 ounces white mushrooms
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- Juice of 1/2 lemon approx. 2 tablespoons
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese optional but recommended, to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta al dente according to package directions.
- Meanwhile, in a skillet, melt the butter and olive oil over medium heat.
- Cut the asparagus into roughly 1.5" pieces. Add the asparagus to the pan and cook for 3-5 minutes (depending on thickness of asparagus).
- Add the mushrooms to the skillet and cook for a few minutes, until the mushrooms are softened.
- Add the garlic, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Stir and cook for a couple more minutes. Prior to draining the pasta, you can add a few tablespoons of the hot pasta water to the skillet if desired. Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss until combined. Serve immediately with freshly grated parmesan cheese.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
© Salt & Lavender Inc. Content and photographs are copyrighted. Sharing this blog post is much appreciated, but copying and pasting full recipes without authorization to social media is strictly prohibited.
This recipe was originally published on March 18, 2016. It’s been tweaked to be even easier, tastier, and has new photos!
Delicious and simple!
Thank you, Nicholas!
I really like the idea of this dish but it did not come out as I thought. Quite flavorless, and a lack of sauce. I would like to do this recipe again but add something to make more of a sauce. Any suggestions?
Hi Jill! This one is deliberately meant to be a light buttery sauce vs. something more heavy. I think the fresh ingredients shine on their own, but I guess we all have different tastes. You could try adding in some cream perhaps? I do have quite a few rich/creamy/tomato sauce/etc. pasta recipes on here, so you could always browse thru my pasta category here to find something you may like better: https://www.saltandlavender.com/category/pasta/
We really liked this recipe – definitely a regular during asparagus season at our house. We used cremini mushrooms in a grilled portobello with a bit of lemon zest and shaved parm over all.
Thank you, Cathy!!
This was a really tasty and easy dinner! I did add the optional two tablespoons of pasta water and it made the dish “saucier”. I also added some lemon zest per another review and loved the extra lemon taste. This is a keeper!
Excellent! Thank you so much, Terri!
Easy and fresh!
Thank you!
Made this last night. Delicious and simple! I’m always throwing away produce, but I had mushrooms and asparagus and was determined to make something with them. This recipe hit the mark! Will be making again. Can’t wait to peruse this website and find more great recipes!!
That’s awesome to hear, Bridget! 😀 Thanks for your review! Let me know what else you try.
My family loved this! I topped with some lemon zest. So fresh and easy. Plus the promise of stinky pee even had my toddler eating the asparagus! The whole family enjoyed. Thank you.
Hahahahaha love that.
This was just lovely! So easy and fresh, a perfect spring recipe to enjoy asparagus. We loved it, and look forward to making it again. Thank you Natasha! ❤️
You’re very welcome, Jenny!! 😀 Thanks for your review! XO
Asparagus and mushroom pasta absolutely delicious.
Thank you so much, Jean!!
Fast, easy, healthy and delicious–I couldn’t believe how great it tasted with so little effort! I especially loved that it didn’t require cream. This will definitely become regular addition to our meal list.
I’m thrilled to hear that, Ann! 😀