Italian asparagus pasta recipe from Northern Italy.
This Northern Italian asparagus pasta recipe is a delicious version of a typical Venetian way to combine asparagus with pasta.
Eliche alla crema di asparagi
Here in Veneto, Northern Italy, asparagus are a major player in the spring kitchen. This is not surprising given that this region grows the most asparagus in Italy. Roadside asparagus sellers are a common sight during the season and asparagus fields abound. Needless to say, there are lots of local recipes for asparagus. However, the most popular ways to serve them are in soup, risotto or with pasta.
Scroll down for recipe instructions.
Asparagus; white, green or wild?
Did you know that people have been eating asparagus since 3,000 B.C? The ancient Greeks, Egyptians and Romans loved them. The Romans even froze asparagus by transporting lots into the Alps and storing them there! Of course, now we don’t need to freeze asparagus in the mountains. We have fridges, freezers and other ways of preserving them.
The Romans even froze asparagus by transporting lots into the Alps and storing them there!
But, in reality, fresh farmed or wild asparagus are what you will find the most on Italian menus. Like many other seasonal Italian ingredients, asparagus are rarely eaten here when not in season.
Italy is the biggest producer of green asparagus in Europe and the third of white. Both white and green are used in local recipes. I like both types. Some Italian recipes can be made with either and some with both. Others specifically call for green or white or wild asparagus. This Italian asparagus pasta recipe is best made with fresh or wild green asparagus.
Wild asparagus grow all over Italy and are a popular foraged food. They are most often just boiled and eaten as a side dish or served in frittata. But Italians also use them in risotto and with pasta. Like many other wild versions of edible plants, wild asparagus are much smaller than their farmed cousins. However, they have a more pronounced ‘asparagus’ flavour.
Other ingredients in this Italian asparagus pasta sauce.
Alongside the asparagus, I used garlic, parsley, zucchini and an onion to make the base sauce for this Italian asparagus pasta. Then, I creamed the sauce in a blender in two stages. First the asparagus then the base sauce ingredients. I mixed them together and, finally, melted some Robiola and Parmigiano cheese into it. (vegetarians will need to use a hard cheese made without animal rennet). Divine! In fact so good, you can just eat the sauce with bread!
Robiola cheese
Robiola is a fresh soft cheese similar to stracchino. It comes from Piedmont, originally the Langhe region. It is popular throughout the North. Robiola is usually made from cow and/or goat cheese, depending on the type of Robiola. It’s wonderful with bread and honey! This cheese is often added to risotto or pasta dishes. It melts well and gives the dish a thick creamy texture! If you can’t find Robiola, you can use Stracchino or a good cream cheese.
The Pasta
Traditionally penne or fresh long pasta such as tagliatelle are the most popular pasta partners for Italian asparagus pasta recipes. But, other short pasta types go really well too. I used eliche. Eliche, meaning spiral or propeller, is really another name for fusilli. However, the pasta I used was smaller than most fusilli and the spirals not as tight.
It was made by a pasta company called Pastificio Felicetti located in Trentino. This pasta is part of the company’s Monograno range and was made from organic Matt durum wheat from Puglia. The Felicetti pasta factory is in Predazzo, a town 1,000 metres above sea level. They make their pasta with natural mountain spring water.
This was my first time cooking with this brand of pasta. But, it won’t be my last. The pasta was tasty and held together really well with cooking. You’d be surprised how often I come across artisan pasta that falls apart when boiled!
If you find Felicetti pasta (they export to many countries), I suggest you try it. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. (This my opinon. I have no connection with this company!).
If you make this asparagus pasta recipe, I'd love to hear what you think. You can comment and rate this recipe here on the blog or on The Pasta Project Facebook page. Looking forward to hearing from you!
Buon appetito!
Other pasta recipes with asparagus
This recipe was first published in 2018 but has been updated.
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Yumi says
What a lovely way to celebrate the return of spring! Our family enjoyed this delicious veggie packed pasta. Thank you for your recipes!
Jacqui says
Hi Yumi, I'm so glad you and your family enjoyed this asparagus pasta recipe! We love it too!
John Chater says
Tried this recipe for the first time. I did not have the right cheese which is not easy to get in the UK. Used Parmesan instead. Followed the recipe but when tasting the sauce found it needed more salt and lemon juice and lemon zest. Otherwise the sauce can taste a bit stodgy. May have been better with the correct cheese.
Marta says
I just picked up a bunch of asparagus at the farmer's market. I can't wait to use them in this recipe.
Jim Christol says
I hate it when people leave comments saying "I used this instead of that" and on an on, well that is what I did. What drew me in was the concept of pureeing the asparagus and vegetables to create the basis of the sauce. I did that and It worked very well. Will use the technique again, thank you.
Lathiya says
The pasta with Asparagus looks awesome and I love how simple this recipe is with minimal ingredients.
Ramona says
What a lovely idea for a pasta dish. I never remember to use asparagus in a pasta dish but this will end now. I have some freshly bought asparagus in the fridge so lunch is now sorted. Delicious looking dish!
Kacey Perez says
Your pastas always look so amazing! And asparagus season is coming up! Cant wait to try this.
Emily says
Thanks for sharing another delicious pasta recipe! Love the seasonal asparagus in this dish!
Mary Bostow says
Thank you for another fantastic way to make asparagus, this ones a keeper!
Jacque Hastert says
I can't wait to make this again! This dish is perfect way to ring in spring! Delicious and will be going down again soon.
Jenni LeBaron says
I am positively drooling looking at this Italian asparagus pasta recipe. This looks so creamy and delightfully veggie-packed!
Kushigalu says
Love this version of pasta recipe. How creative and delicious. Must try!
Sondra Barker says
Wow this looks like an amazing dish! I love a good pasta recipe, will need to try this soon!