Lemony Pasta With Asparagus and Bacon Recipe

By
J. Kenji López-Alt
Kenji Lopez Alt
J. Kenji López-Alt
Culinary Consultant
Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.
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Updated Sep. 11, 2020
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J. Kenji Lopez-Alt

Recipe Details

Lemony Pasta With Asparagus and Bacon Recipe

Active 30 mins
Total 30 mins
Serves 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds asparagus, ends trimmed, stalks and tips cut into 1-inch segments

  • Kosher salt

  • 1/4 pound bacon, finely sliced

  • 8 scallions, finely sliced, whites and greens reserved separately

  • 1 pound pasta

  • 1 tablespoon juice and 1 teaspoon zest from 1 lemon

  • 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and cored, finely minced

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 3 tablespoons finely minced fresh parsley leaves

  • Freshly ground black pepper

  • 1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano, plus more for garnish

Directions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add asparagus and cook until just tender but still bright green, about 2 minutes. Transfer to an ice bath to chill. Dry carefully and set aside. Keep water on stove for pasta.

  2. Add bacon to a large saucepan or dutch oven and set over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until bacon is crisp and rendered, about 5 minutes. Add asparagus, increase heat to high, and cook, tossing and stirring frequently until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add scallion whites and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat and add 1 cup asparagus cooking water to the pan.

  3. Return the asparagus water to a boil and add the pasta. Cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta water, and add to pot with bacon and asparagus. Do not return pot to heat. Add lemon juice and zest, jalapeño, butter, parsley, scallion greens, and plenty of black pepper. Stir until butter is melted. Add grated cheese and extra pasta water, stirring untili desired consistency is reached. Season to taste with salt and more pepper.

  4. Serve immediately, garnishing with shaved Parmigiano Reggiano.

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
476 Calories
17g Fat
65g Carbs
18g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 476
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 17g 21%
Saturated Fat 7g 37%
Cholesterol 34mg 11%
Sodium 541mg 24%
Total Carbohydrate 65g 24%
Dietary Fiber 6g 20%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 18g
Vitamin C 20mg 98%
Calcium 126mg 10%
Iron 4mg 23%
Potassium 561mg 12%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)