One-Pot Lemony Pasta With Spring Vegetables

One-Pot Lemony Pasta with Spring Greens

Pasta and verdant spring veggies are cooked in the same pot then tossed in a sensational sauce of butter, pasta water, lemon juice and Parmigiano- Reggiano. This dish comes together quickly, so have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go before starting to cook. If you like it extra zingy, serve with lemon wedges on the side.

Ingredients:
Salt to taste
1/2 lb (225 g) tortiglioni pasta
2 cups (500 mL) baby spinach, packed
2 cups (500 mL) thinly sliced lacinato kale (stems removed), loosely packed
1/2 bunch asparagus, tough ends trimmed, cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces, or frozen green peas
3 tbsp (45 mL) olive oil
3 tbsp (45 mL) butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp (15 mL) lemon zest
1 tsp (5 mL) chili flakes, plus more for serving
3 tbsp (45 mL) lemon juice
1/2 cup (125 mL) finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving

Directions:                                                                                             
Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. (Don’t make it too salty, as you will cook with some of the pasta water.) Cook pasta for 5 minutes, stirring once or twice. Add spinach, kale and asparagus. Cook 1 minute more. Reserve 3/4 cup (175 mL) pasta water then drain pasta and greens in a colander.

Place pot back on stove over medium heat. Add olive oil and butter. Once butter has melted, add garlic. Cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup (125 mL) pasta water, lemon zest, chili flakes, pasta and greens. Stir well to combine. Increase heat to high and cook until sauce has thickened slightly and coats noodles, 1 to 2 minutes. Add extra pasta water 1 tbsp (15 mL) at a time as needed to create a smooth sauce.

Remove pasta from heat. Stir in lemon juice and cheese. Taste for salt. Serve immediately with extra chili flakes and cheese.

Serves 2 to 3