My daughter visited for the Christmas holidays this year and she is a vegan. We were planning on having ham for Christmas dinner, and she could not eat this, so I wanted some tasty side dishes that she could enjoy. This recipe for Ziti Pasta with Asparagus and Mushrooms was her favorite. She said “I don’t know how you can cook pasta to taste so good – mine is never this tasty!”
Printable Recipe: Ziti Pasta with Asparagus and Mushrooms
The dish is very easy to do. I have a busy lifestyle and love to make recipes that are full of flavor but can be prepared in less than a half hour or so.
It is also a very healthy dish, being packed with nutritious vegetables. The fresh asparagus adds a lovely taste to it.
Start by cooking the pasta in boiling, salted water until al dente, about 10 minutes.
While the pasta is cooking, combine mushrooms, oil and garlic in a medium skillet. Cook, covered, on low heat until the mushrooms exude their juices, 5 to 7 minutes.
Add the asparagus and cook, covered, for 3 minutes.
Uncover and cook on medium-high heat, stirring until most of the liquid is evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add salt, pepper, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
Drain the pasta and stir it into the vegetable mixture. Stir to distribute the vegetables well throughout the pasta. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
This makes an excellent side dish with a protein choice or a stand alone main course for vegans and vegetarians.
Ziti Pasta with Asparagus and Mushrooms
Asparagus and mushrooms give a hearty and nutritious punch to this tasty pasta recipe.
Ingredients
- 8 oz fresh mushrooms, trimmed, halved (if large) and sliced
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 12 oz fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
- Kosher Salt and freshly ground cracked black pepper
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp fresh lemon zest
- 8 oz ziti pasta
- 2 tbsp minced red bell pepper
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in boiling, salted water until al dente, about 10 minutes.
- Combine mushrooms, oil and garlic in a non stick frying pan. Cook, covered, on low heat until the mushrooms exude their juices, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add the asparagus and red pepper, and continue cooking, covered, for 3 minutes.
- Uncover and cook on medium-high heat, stirring until most of the liquid is evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add salt, pepper, lemon zest and lemon juice.
- Spoon out 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking liquid and add it to the mushroom mixture and stir well to combine. Cook to blend the flavors well and most of the liquid has reduced.
- Drain the pasta and add to the mushroom mixture and combine until the vegetables are incorporated well.
- Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 130Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 317mgCarbohydrates: 17gFiber: 4gSugar: 4gProtein: 7g
Nutritional information is approximate due to natural variation in ingredients and the cook-at-home nature of our meals.