This vibrant pasta recipe celebrates the bright pops of spring flavours, from crunchy asparagus to sweet and springy green peas, all bathed in a delicious lemony garlic cream sauce. You can add grilled chicken breast, sauteed shrimp or baked salmon for a protein boost. It's a perfect dish to share with your loved ones this spring!

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound of bucatini pasta
• 2 tablespoons butter
• Half a bunch of asparagus, ends trimmed and sliced diagonally (about 1 1/2 cups once cut)
• 4 cloves garlic, grated
• 3/4 cup chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• Half of a bag of frozen peas (about a heaping cup)
• Zest of one lemon
• Lemon juice to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Crispy breadcrumbs for topping

Instructions

1. Cook pasta to al dente according to package directions.
2. Melt butter over medium heat. Add asparagus and cook for 5 minutes, until soft and bright green. (You'll simmer the asparagus a bit longer in the sauce, so it's okay if it's still a little firm.)
3. Add garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.
4. Add broth and heavy cream; bring to a low simmer. Once it thickens into more of a sauce, add in the frozen peas for the final few minutes of cooking. Season with the lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper.
5. Toss the sauce with the pasta; keep it all over low heat for a few minutes so the pasta and the sauce really come together. Let stand for a few minutes if necessary for everything to thicken and the sauce to cling to the pasta. Top with lots and lots of breadcrumbs, and some rotisserie chicken or sauteed shrimp if you want! So yum!

Recipe courtesy of Pinch of Yum.