one pot parmesan “bacon” and asparagus pasta
I’ve been sitting on this recipe for so long I’m surprised I didn’t squish it.
I sometimes wait ages to post a recipe for no other reason than “the vibes are right.” So, I let a concept sit in my Lightroom gallery until I’m grooving with the idea and feel like ya’ll might really enjoy it.
Such was the case with this pasta. I generally am not consuming a lot of pasta at the moment, aside from cold pasta salads, merely because I correlate a creamy noodly dish with cooler weather and this summer is not even hinting to a nice stint any time in the near future. But this dude I can get on board with for pretty much any occasion, due to the nice balance of indulgence and lightness.
I scared this up out of a bit of necessity at the time. Asparagus needed to be used, leftover tofu bacon needed to be used, pasta’s cheap, and I’m a lazy shitbumb. I think I was feeling panicky that afternoon because I had no clue what I wanted for dinner, and I’d just bought some random shit at the store that didn’t make much sense as a single dish, leastwise at the time of purchase.
Thankfully, this pasta did end up making sense, and it’s simplicity and tastiness rendered it worthwhile for my belly and my blog. Just a few ingredients you might have hiding in your fridge already, under 30 minutes, and a big punch of flavor. A light creamy sauce accents the smoky bacon, but doesn’t overpower or bring to mind a hearty mac and cheese dish.
Perfect for cozy, rainy summer nights when comfort food sounds great but an internal inferno does not.
Shells, Elbows, or Shellbows?
For this particular pasta, I’m partial to shells or elbows, or the shellbow if you can find it. The divits in the noodles allow for maximal sauce absorption. Backed by science.
If you don’t have tofu bacon on hand, or regular bacon, cook some up. This recipe contains my formula for crisp, tasty veggie bacon strips. Takes more time than regular bacon, but makes much more than this dish needs, so you can store some for a BLT another day. Non-veggies can cook up a batch of bacon proper as desired.
Then, fire up a skillet or Dutch oven and get cooking. My skillet’s big enough to accommodate the dish but if you’re not very dexterous with stirring, use a larger pot. Start with a quick saute of some shallots, then add garlic, lemon zest, and red pepper flakes. Your kitchen will smell rad just after this single step. Or two steps. Whatever.
Toss in your choice pasta to infuse the dry noodles with a bit of the flavor. Pour in vegetable broth or water and bring to a boil. Let the pasta cook on its own, stirring occasionally, until about 5 minutes remains until the end of cook time. Here, throw in the asparagus. I either cut my spears in half or into thirds after trimming off the woody end, depending on how thick and long the spears are.
Parm-enant Fixture
Once the asparagus is tender and the pasta has drunk up most of the water, enlist your finishers.
For creaminess, use canned coconut milk or heavy cream. My lactose intolerance prefers the former but the latter is great too if you shit on the former. Just don’t shit in the pasta.
For cheesiness, stir in your parmesan until melty.
For baconiness, add in the tofu or regular bacon. Also splash in some fresh lemon juice and season your pasta with salt and pepper to your taste.
Top with extra pepper and herbs as you wish, serve with salad and a nice wine, and you’ve got the easiest but quite luxurious weeknight supper that’s not too heavy for this hot weather.
Leftovers are also excellent for lunches the next few days. I usually splish in a little broth or water before microwaving to infuse the cold noodles with a little more moisture, since they tend to absorb the sauce over time.
Noods nix woes, peeps. Enjoy your carbs!
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
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one pot parmesan “bacon” and asparagus pasta
Ingredients
- 2 shallots, thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (or to taste)
- 1 lb short-cut pasta (I like shells or elbows. Or shellbows…)
- 4 cups vegetable broth (or water)
- 1/2 lb asparagus, trimmed and sliced in half or thirds
- 1 cup canned coconut milk (or heavy cream)
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/2 cup tofu bacon or regular bacon, chopped
- fresh herbs and black pepper, to serve
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Saute the shallot until fragrant and translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in the garlic, lemon zest, and red pepper flakes for one minute.
- Pour in the pasta and toss in the seasonings until coated, then add the broth. Bring to a simmer. Boil according to package directions. In the last 5 minutes of cooking, add in the asparagus. Do not drain the water.
- Stir in the parmesan cheese and coconut milk until the cheese melts. Toss in the lemon juice and tofu or regular bacon until warmed through.
- Divide the pasta amongst bowls and serve with fresh herbs and black pepper, as desired.
