Shrimp and Asparagus Pasta
This classic spring pasta dish combines the fresh, seasonal flavor of asparagus with sweet, tender shrimp.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 12 ounces spaghetti
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 1 pound medium-large uncooked shrimp 21/25 per pound
- 1 bunch medium-sized asparagus tough ends removed, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper plus more to taste
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 1 lemon juiced
For Serving
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 4 teaspoons flat-leaf parsley chopped
- 4 wedges lemon
Instructions
- Boil water for pasta: Fill a large pot with water and salt it generously. Set it over high heat and bring to a boil.
- Cook the pasta: When the salted water is at a rolling boil, add the pasta. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions, until it is just 1 minute shy of al dente, very nearly cooked but slightly too firm in the center, about 10 minutes. Drain the pasta in a colander, reserving 1 cup of pasta water to add to the shrimp and asparagus.
- Cook the shrimp and asparagus: While the pasta is cooking, start cooking the other ingredients. In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until it begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the shrimp, asparagus, and garlic. Increase the heat on the stove to high, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the side of the shrimp have just turned pink, about 4 minutes. Season with the salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium and add the white wine and 2 tablespoons of the butter to the pan. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the lemon juice to the pan. Season with additional salt and pepper, to taste. Continue to cook until the asparagus is just tender and the widest part of the shrimp has turned from translucent to opaque, about 2 minutes.
- Finish the dish: Add the drained pasta to the pan with ½ cup of the reserved pasta water and the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Cook, stirring occasionally and using tongs to coat the pasta with all of the ingredients in the pan. Stir, until the pasta is tender but still firm in the center, 1 to 2 minutes.You can add more of the pasta water if the pan gets dry before the pasta is done; you should end up with a slick of sauce coating all of the ingredients. Taste and adjust with more salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve: Portion the pasta onto four plates. Top each one with Parmesan and parsley. Serve with a lemon wedge on the side.
