Hello and welcome to Kelly’s Kitchen! This is a great pasta recipe; creamy, light, and so easy to customize to whatever veggies and herbs you have in the fridge. Today, I have asparagus and fresh English peas, with tarragon, dill, and basil. The creamy, tangy goat cheese sauce is super simple – just goat cheese and pasta cooking water. As for the pasta shape, use your favorite! I happen to really like large tubular pastas because they tend to gather and hold herbs and veggies inside, so it’s easy to get a perfect bite, loaded with veggies and flavor. Let’s make Pasta with Spring Vegetables and Creamy Goat Cheese.
Pasta with Spring Vegetables and Creamy Goat Cheese Ingredients
The Pasta
This pasta is like Rigatoni, but it’s a little shorter and without ridges. It’s called Calamarata, its name derives from its resemblance to calamari rings. The brand I like is Garofalo. I find it locally, but you can order it online too. I am going to cook the whole 16-ounce package, planning for leftovers. Whatever pasta you choose to use, get a large pot with two quarts of water and 1 tablespoon of Diamond Kosher Salt. We want to use half the normal amount of water so that the pasta water we use for the sauce has a higher concentration of starch. It’s going to help the sauce thicken and coat the pasta.
- 16 oz. Tubular Pasta, like Rigatoni or Calamarata
- 1 tbsp. Olive Oil
- 1 bunch Asparagus, sliced into 2-inch pieces
- 6 oz. Fresh or Frozen Peas
- Kosher Salt, to taste
- 4 oz. Plain Goat Cheese
- 1 cup Fresh Herbs, chopped (Tarragon, Dill, or Parsley)
- Fresh Basil Leaves, for garnish
- Fresh Cracked Black Pepper, for garnish
- Flaky Sea Salt, for garnish
How to Prepare Pasta with Spring Vegetables and Creamy Goat Cheese
Step 1
Bring 2 quarts of water seasoned with 1 tablespoon of Diamond Kosher Salt to boil.
Meanwhile, over medium-high heat, heat a tablespoon of olive oil until shimmery, reduce the heat to medium and sauté the asparagus for about 3 minutes. Season with Kosher salt, then add the peas. Sauté for another 2 minutes and remove from heat, set aside.
Step 2
Add pasta to boiling water and cook, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until pasta is just shy of al dente, about 12-13 minutes.
Use a skimmer or spider to transfer pasta to a separate large bowl, reserving the pasta water.
Step 3
In a separate pot over low heat, add 1 cup of pasta water and the goat cheese. Stir to melt the goat cheese.
Step 4
When goat cheese is almost fully melted, add cooked pasta to the pot and stir vigorously and continuously until the cheese sauce is thickened and coats the pasta. Add more pasta water, a little at a time, as needed to keep sauce loose and creamy.
Step 5
Add the sautéd veggies to the pasta and stir to coat, adding more pasta water as needed to keep the sauce loose and creamy.
Step 6
Add the chopped fresh herbs and stir and serve with more fresh dill sprigs and whole basil leaves, fresh cracked black pepper, and flaky sea salt.
No matter which type of pasta, or the veggies and herbs you choose to use, this creamy sauce is so simple with the light, fresh tangy flavor of goat cheese. I hope you give this Pasta with Spring Vegetables a try! If you want to try another pasta perfect for spring, try Rigatoni with Pancetta and Spring Peas.
Key Equipment
Pasta with Spring Vegetables and Creamy Goat Cheese
Ingredients:
- 16 oz. Tubular Pasta like Rigatoni or Calamarata
- 1 tbsp. Olive Oil
- 1 bunch Asparagus sliced into 2-inch pieces
- 6 oz. Fresh or Frozen Peas
- Kosher Salt to taste
- 4 oz. Plain Goat Cheese
- 1 cup Fresh Herbs chopped (Tarragon, Dill, or Parsley)
- Fresh Basil Leaves for garnish
- Fresh Cracked Black Pepper for garnish
- Flaky Sea Salt for garnish
Instructions:
- Bring 2 quarts of water seasoned with 1 tablespoon of Diamond Kosher Salt to boil. Meanwhile, over medium-high heat, heat a tablespoon of olive oil until shimmery, reduce the heat to medium and sauté the asparagus for about 3 minutes. Season with Kosher salt, then add the peas. Sauté for another 2 minutes and remove from heat, set aside.
- Add pasta to boiling water and cook, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until pasta is just shy of al dente, about 12-13 minutes. Use a skimmer or spider to transfer pasta to a separate large bowl, reserving the pasta water.
- In a separate pot over low heat, add 1 cup of pasta water and the goat cheese. Stir to melt the goat cheese.
- When goat cheese is almost fully melted, add cooked pasta to the pot and stir vigorously and continuously until the cheese sauce is thickened and coats the pasta. Add more more pasta water, a little at a time, as needed to keep sauce loose and creamy.
- Add the sautéd veggies to the pasta and stir to coat, adding more pasta water as needed to keep the sauce loose and creamy.
- Add the chopped fresh herbs and stir and serve with more fresh dill sprigs and whole basil leaves, fresh cracked black pepper, and flaky sea salt.
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