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Well, this pasta didn’t stand a chance. I was vraiment triste when I finished my last plate of it tonight (it makes delicious leftovers, just so you know).

This dish is as bright in flavor as it is in appearance. Whenever I think of “summer dishes”, grilling automatically comes to mind — and hey, there is nothing wrong with that. Grillin’ is my jam! But it’s nice to have a meatless alternative once in a while and this, my friends, is a winner. Gagnant! I’m not sure why I’m getting all French tonight. It must be the vino. Whoopsie daisy, now Italian has joined the party.

What just happened?

This dish, tho. The light lemon flavour works really well with the creaminess, the asparagus, the spinach and, my fave part, the oyster mushrooms. You can sub in cremini mushrooms, but I’m a huge sucker for oyster mushrooms so there’s that.

I added poppy seeds as a garnish because, let’s be honest, it looks effin’ beautiful.

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Lemon Poppy Seed Pasta with Oyster Mushrooms and Asparagus

This creamy pasta is bright, fresh, and full of flavour.
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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Dana Sandonato

Ingredients

  • 1 375 g box of fettuccine
  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 1 454 g 16 fl oz of vegetable broth
  • 2 cloves of garlic minced
  • 2 shallots minced
  • 4 cups of oyster mushrooms sliced (can use cremini mushrooms instead)
  • 8 asparagus spears cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 4 handfuls of baby spinach
  • 1 lemon
  • 4 Laughing Cow cheese triangles
  • 1 cup of milk
  • Sea salt and ground black pepper to taste
  • Poppy seeds for garnish

Instructions

  • Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
  • Add the garlic and shallots. Sauté until fragrant and tender.
  • Add the asparagus and mushrooms. Sauté until vegetables are tender.
  • Transfer garlic, shallots, asparagus, and mushrooms to a pot and cover to keep them warm.
  • Pour two cups of vegetable broth into the skillet, and bring to a boil.
  • Once boiling, add the pasta noodles and lower the heat to medium-low.
  • Add the fresh squeezed juice of one lemon.
  • Allow the noodles to simmer in the broth until cooked - approx. 25 minutes. Add extra broth as needed throughout the cooking process.
  • Once the noodles are nearly done, add the milk and the Laughing Cow cheese.
  • Stir to mix and to melt the cheese.
  • Simmer until cheese is completely melted.
  • Add the fresh baby spinach leaves, as well as the vegetables you put aside (asparagus, mushrooms, shallots, and garlic) and stir.
  • Remove from heat. Cover and let the pasta stand for five minutes.
  • Season the pasta with sea salt and ground black pepper.
  • Garnish with poppy seeds.

Notes

To properly rid the asparagus spears of the woody ends, hold the spear with both hands and gently bend. The spear will snap in the right place. Discard the woody end.