Roasted Garlic & Asparagus Pasta (Print Version)

A vibrant spring pasta featuring sweet, mellow whole roasted garlic cloves and tender asparagus tossed with olive oil and spaghetti.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 large head garlic
02 - 1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces

→ Pasta

03 - 12 ounces spaghetti

→ Seasonings and Finishing

04 - 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional for roasting
05 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus additional for pasta water
06 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
07 - 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
08 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus additional for serving
09 - Zest of 1 lemon
10 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Slice the top off the garlic head to expose the cloves, drizzle lightly with olive oil, wrap in aluminum foil, and roast for 30 minutes until soft and golden.
02 - After 15 minutes of garlic roasting, spread asparagus on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast in the same oven for 12 to 15 minutes until just tender.
03 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain pasta.
04 - Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves from their skins and mash lightly with a fork.
05 - In a large skillet over medium heat, add 1/4 cup olive oil. Add the mashed garlic and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant.
06 - Add roasted asparagus and cooked spaghetti to the skillet. Toss to combine, adding reserved pasta water as needed to achieve a silky sauce consistency.
07 - Stir in Parmesan cheese, lemon zest, parsley, and red pepper flakes if desired. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
08 - Transfer to serving dishes immediately. Garnish with additional Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • Roasting garlic transforms it into something sweet and spreadable, no harsh raw bite whatsoever
  • The pasta water trick creates this gorgeous silky sauce without any cream whatsoever
  • Ready in under an hour but tastes like something from a restaurant that takes reservations
02 -
  • Don't rush the garlic roast time, those extra minutes make the difference between aromatic and acrid
  • The pasta water is nonnegotiable, it's what transforms oil into a creamy coating sauce
  • Asparagus keeps cooking after it leaves the oven, so pull it when it's just barely tender
03 -
  • Buy the biggest garlic head you can find, smaller ones have less meat per clove
  • Room temperature olive oil emulsifies better with the pasta water
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