This week I was inspired by the warm weather and clear skies to follow a spring pasta recipe that utilizes some of the delicious produce that anyone can buy at a farmers market or any grocery store. This recipe is inspired by one of my favorite pasta recipes that my mom makes, and I want to share it with you all!

One of the reasons I love this recipe so much is because it’s such a light and fresh pasta. Other pastas can have the tendency to feel heavy, but with the combination of the pappardelle pasta noodles, asparagus and a squeeze of lemon, this light pasta tastes fresh and delicious.

Another bonus is that this recipe calls for so few ingredients, and the cook time is about how long it takes you to boil and prepare your noodles. I’m a sucker for a quick recipe packed full of flavor, and that’s just one of the many reasons I cook this at least once a week.

My roommates can also attest that they love this recipe. If you follow the proportions of the recipe, you should have enough pasta to feed around four people, so this is the perfect recipe for a get together among friends, roommates and family.

If you’re only cooking for yourself, just portion out what you think you’ll want to eat. I recommend around three stems of asparagus and three or four mushrooms. Additionally, cut your parmesan cheese in half but keep the lemon proportions.

If there’s anything my mom has ingrained in my mind when cooking pasta, it’s to “set aside some pasta water.” Do I remember? Almost never. Reserving pasta water and adding it to your sauce helps keep the pasta from sticking together after straining, but I’ve found that squeezing half a lemon can do just the same. Adding lemon juice is super helpful to add some extra liquid to your sauce and adds a delicious element of brightness and freshness to your pasta.

Ingredients:

• 1 bag of Trader Joe’s pappardelle pasta

• 1 bundle of asparagus

• 1 package of white button mushrooms

• 1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese

• 1/2 lemon

• Olive oil

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Red chili flakes

Instructions:

1. Fill up a large pot and bring to a boil.

2. Wash and dry your asparagus and mushrooms. Cut off your asparagus stems and remove your mushroom caps from the stems. I like to cut my mushrooms and asparagus into threes to make nice bite sized pieces.

3. Drizzle some olive oil over a skillet on medium heat. Add your asparagus and mushrooms to the skillet at the same time you start to cook your pasta. This will give your veggies plenty of time to cook.

4. Season your asparagus and mushrooms with salt and pepper to taste, as well as some red pepper flakes.

5. Once your vegetables are cooked, reduce your heat to low. After your pasta is cooked through, strain out the water and add your pasta to your skillet.

6. Squeeze half a lemon over your pasta and stir in the asparagus and mushrooms.

7. Add in your grated parmesan cheese and stir into your pasta until it is nice and melted. Adding some lemon zest is another great way to add some brightness and makes a great garnish.

8. Serve and enjoy!