There is an abundance of lovely fresh green vegetables around at the moment, including my absolute favourite, asparagus. My beautiful sister cooks a deliciously simple asparagus spaghetti with lemon and cream and I just love a good simple vegetable pasta, so decide to try something similar.

For this easy pasta recipe I combine asparagus, zucchini and peas with a little chilli, garlic, herbs and a nice amount of lemon for a fresh, light and tasty vegetarian pasta dish. You could certainly try a variation of vegetables including, squash, broccoli, eggplant, green beans or even rocket and baby spinach. I used a mini lasagne pasta, mafalde, but any similar pasta like a penne or macaroni would work just as well.

This is a very colourful and satisfying dish, great for a lunch when entertaining or a light evening meal. Cam topped the pasta with crumbled vegetarian feta, for a non-vegan version, so you could do the same if you enjoy a little cheese. Quick to prepare and full of tasty and healthy ingredients, this vegetarian pasta is spot on! Enjoy!

Mafalde Pasta w/ Green Vegetables & Lemon

Preparation time: 25mins // Serves 4

• 250g (9 oz) pasta (mafalde, penne, macaroni or similar)
• 225g (8 oz) asparagus
• 225g (8 oz) zucchini
• 2 good tbs olive oil
• 1 red chilli, finely minced (optional)
• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 2 cups peas (fresh or frozen)
• 1 big juicy lemon, zest & juice (you’ll need about 2tbs of lemon zest and ¼ cup of lemon juice)
• 1 tbs fresh mint, roughly chopped
• 2 tbs fresh parsley, roughly chopped
• ¼ cup vegetarian feta (optional)

Cook the pasta to the packet instruction in plenty of rapidly boiling water, strain and set aside.

Meanwhile prepare the asparagus by snapping off the woody ends, slice in half lengthways and then slice into thin strips. Slice the zucchini into thin rounds.

Heat the olive oil in a good heavy-based frypan, add the garlic and chilli and cook over a medium heat for 1 minute.

Add the asparagus and zucchini and toss, cooking over a medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes, allowing the vegetables to brown a little.

Add the cooked pasta, peas, lemon zest and juice and fresh herbs. Toss over a medium heat to combine well and warm through the pasta, season with a little ground sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste.

If serving with the feta toss this through just before serving.

Enjoy this simple vegetable pasta as a great hearty lunch of light evening meal. Also good the next day as a cold pasta salad in your lunchbox 🙂