Creamy Asparagus
Bacon Pasta
A lightning-fast 5-minute western meal featuring crisp bacon, tender asparagus, and a rich mascarpone cheese sauce tossed with long fettuccine pasta.
This effortless pasta dish balances the smoky, savory crunch of rendered bacon with the fresh, tender bite of green asparagus. Coated in a velvety mascarpone cheese sauce brought together with a splash of chicken stock and a hint of fresh lemon, it delivers a deeply satisfying gourmet flavor profile in minimal time.
Ingredients
- 200 g diced bacon
- 350 g fettuccine or other long pasta
- 300 g asparagus
- 2 scallions
- 2 cloves garlic
- 180 ml chicken or vegetable stock
- 150 g full-fat mascarpone cheese
- 0.5 bunch fresh basil
- 20 g Parmesan cheese
- 0.5 lemon
- to taste salt
- to taste black pepper
Instructions
- 1Fry the bacon
Add diced bacon into a large skillet with the heat off, then turn to medium heat and cook until most of the fat is rendered and it becomes quite crispy.
Tip: Starting with a cold pan helps render the fat out of the bacon evenly before it crisps up. - 2Sauté the asparagus
Add the cut asparagus pieces to the skillet with the crispy bacon and sauté until the asparagus begins to soften, which takes about 3 to 4 minutes.
Tip: Make sure the hard ends of the asparagus are trimmed off before cutting into large pieces. - 3Add aromatics
Add the finely diced garlic and the white parts of the sliced scallions into the pan, and sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant.
Tip: Keep the dark green parts of the scallions for a later step to preserve their fresh texture and color. - 4Pour in the stock
Pour the chicken or vegetable stock directly into the skillet over the sautéed asparagus, garlic, scallions, and bacon mixture. Stir well to combine all the ingredients and prepare the base for the mascarpone sauce.
Tip: Scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the skillet while pouring in the stock to add extra depth of flavor. - 5Create the creamy sauce
Pour in the chicken or vegetable stock, stir until the mascarpone cheese melts completely into the liquid, and fold in the basil, Parmesan cheese, remaining scallions, and lemon juice.
Tip: Full-fat mascarpone provides a rich, velvety base for the sauce without curdling.
