Garden Asparagus & Cherry Tomato Pasta
A garden-fresh pasta that comes together in one skillet in under 30 minutes. Crispy bacon, tender asparagus, burst cherry tomatoes, and linguine tossed in bacon drippings and starchy pasta water, finished with a squeeze of lemon and a generous handful of freshly grated Parmesan.
Equipment
- Large skillet
- large stockpot
- tongs
- kitchen scissors or knife
- cheese grater
Ingredients
- 8 oz linguine (half a standard package)
- 10 slices bacon
- 1 large onion (chopped)
- 1 bunch asparagus (woody ends trimmed and discarded, cut into 2-inch pieces)
- 1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes (halved)
- 5 garlic cloves (minced)
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp cracked black pepper
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1 ½ cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese (divided)
- pasta water (reserved from cooking)
- fresh basil or parsley (chopped, for serving)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the linguine according to the package directions. Before draining, reserve a cup or two of the starchy pasta water. Keep the pasta in the pot and use tongs to transfer it directly into the skillet in Step 6.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon strips until crispy. Remove and place on a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Let cool slightly, then cut into bite-size pieces using kitchen scissors.
- Return the skillet to medium heat, leaving about 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings in the pan. Add the chopped onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until it begins to soften. Add the asparagus and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, tossing often. Stir in the cherry tomatoes and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, just until they begin to soften and release a bit of their juices.
- Stir in the minced garlic, salt, cracked black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for about 30 seconds, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant.
- Add the crispy bacon pieces back into the skillet and toss everything together.
- Using tongs, transfer the linguine directly from the pasta pot into the skillet. Toss everything together, adding splashes of pasta water as needed to create a light, silky coating.
- Squeeze the juice of one lemon over the pasta and toss quickly. Add one cup of the freshly grated Parmesan and toss gently with the tongs until it melts into the pasta.
- Plate immediately and top with the remaining Parmesan and fresh basil or parsley leaves. Serve right away while everything is hot.
Notes
Make ahead:
- Bacon can be cooked and cut up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated.
- Asparagus can be trimmed and cut ahead and stored in the refrigerator.
- Best assembled and served fresh — pasta absorbs the sauce quickly as it sits.
How to store:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- The pasta will absorb the sauce as it sits, so add a splash of water when reheating.
- We enjoy this cold straight from the fridge. It's that good as a leftover.
How to reheat:
- Reheat in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water, tossing until warmed through.
- Microwave in 30-second intervals with a damp paper towel over the dish to retain moisture.
- Add a fresh squeeze of lemon and a little extra Parmesan after reheating to freshen it up.
Freezing:
- Freeze in flat Ziploc freezer bags for up to 2 months. Flat bags stack neatly and take up far less freezer space than containers.
- Lay bags out in the morning to thaw at room temperature by dinnertime.
- Alternatively, thaw overnight in the refrigerator.