Farfalle Pasta with Fresh Asparagus is a beautiful harmony of simple ingredients and elegant flavors.
The delicate touch of saffron adds warmth and depth, perfectly complementing the tender asparagus. Tossed together and finished with crispy bacon bits, this quick and flavorful dish brings comfort and sophistication to the table and is sure to become a family favorite.
In this Article
- What is saffron?
- How to select the right asparagus
- Here are a few helpful tips for the ingredients needed to make this savory asparagus with pasta and saffron
- How to prepare your asparagus pasta
- Storage and reheating
- Variation and substitutions
- Frequently Asked Questions
- If you enjoy this delicious saffron pasta recipe with asparagus, look at my other recipes.
- Farfalle Pasta with Fresh Asparagus
What is saffron?
This fragrant and most famous spice originated from a flower called Crocus sativus, also known as the saffron crocus.
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It is believed to have originated in Greece. However, today, it is mainly grown in Iran, Greece, Morocco, and India.
Due to its high price, it is kept under lock and key. Each threadlike red strand is collected by hand, which accounts for the high cost and the fact that it blooms for only one week each year.
The strands of saffron must be red stigmas and no yellow stamens.
You may be tempted to purchase ground saffron. I would recommend buying the strands. Being pricey, you do want to see what you are buying.
How to select the right asparagus
Before making the recipe, I found it helpful to know how to choose the best thin green asparagus. This was especially important since it was my first time buying them.
After all, they are all bunched up. What to look for is essential.
- The stalk should be plump and firm, and the tips should be tightly closed.
- Depending on your purchasing variety, the color should be green, purple, or white.
- Ensure the color is not faded or dull; your merchant has them standing upright in cold, fresh water.
- Avoid blemishes or wilted asparagus. Or even worse, with small flowers peeking out.
- The long end of the stalk should be moist and plump. If the stalk looks dry or cracked, it is older and less fresh.
- Thinner asparagus is tender and sweet, while larger ones are meatier and have a more robust flavor.
Here are a few helpful tips for the ingredients needed to make this savory asparagus with pasta and saffron
This is a short introduction. The ingredient list is also brief. It includes essential items that you may already have in your pantry. Please read the recipe for complete instructions.
Asparagus spears – The main ingredients of this asparagus recipe. Make sure they are nicely tight and green.
Extra virgin olive oil – used to create the sauce. I like mild olive oil as it does not interfere with the taste, but feel free to use olive oil or EVOO.
Shallot – is milder than onions, and they give us such a great aromatic onion flavor.
White wine – is the culprit in making the asparagus sauce fantastic. While you cook, the alcohol will evaporate; thus, there are no concerns about serving this dinner to children.
Pinch saffron – Adds a layer of flavor as well as a beautiful golden color to your asparagus pasta.
Farfalle pasta is one of my favorite pastas. Perfect to collect sauce and so much for the little ones
Bacon: everything tastes better with bacon, and here, we have crisp bacon to add flavor to your asparagus pasta.
Butter – I always use unsalted butter in my cooking or baking to control the amount of sodium. Salted butter not only adds too much salt to your dish, but it changes the flavor.
Parmesan cheese – Pasta’s best friend and it adds a layer of flavor.
Parsley – optional and sprinkled at the last minute.
How to prepare your asparagus pasta
This recipe is pretty straightforward, as shown on the recipe card below.
Before cooking, please have all your ingredients ready, as this asparagus recipe will go quickly.
Bacon:
This recipe requires crumbling some crispy bacon and adding it to the pasta. I recommend slicing the bacon strips thinly and crisping them while the pasta water boils. This will allow the bacon to be warm and ready to be enjoyed at dinner.
While your bacon is crisping up:
- Clean the asparagus by peeling the bottom and slicing into rounds.
- In a saucepan, saute the shallots. Add the asparagus and white wine and cook over low heat for about five minutes. Season to taste.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a full boil. Add the farfalle pasta and saffron, and cook the pasta al dente.
- Save a cup of the boiling water just in case you will need it, and drain the pasta.
- Toss the pasta with your asparagus, shallot and butter.
- Crumble to bacon and add the grated parmesan cheese and serve immediately.
Storage and reheating
Pasta is always at its best when enjoyed right out of the boiling pan, mixed with your sauce.
Store: Your leftovers will store well in the refrigerator for two days.
Reheat: To reheat them, bring them back to room temperature and warm them in a skillet with a few drops of water and a tablespoon of unsalted butter.
I do not recommend freezing them as they will not taste the same.
Variation and substitutions
You can make this dish vegetarian by omitting the bacon.
I use farfalle pasta as it is my favorite, but any tubular pasta, such as penne, mezze zite, or even orecchiette, will work beautifully.
You do not have to use parsley at all.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is asparagus?
Asparagus is a green vegetable that is easily recognizable for its pointy spears.
Ways to cook asparagus
They can be grilled, seared, steamed, or roasted
When are the asparagus in season?
The season runs from late March to June. You can also find them year-round at the grocery store. However, buying them in season is tastier and less expensive.
If you enjoy this delicious saffron pasta recipe with asparagus, look at my other recipes.
Saffron Chicken with Persian Saffron Rice
Happy Spring to asparagus lovers everywhere!
Farfalle Pasta with Fresh Asparagus
Ingredients
- 10 asparagus spears
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 shallot, minced
- ½ cup white wine
- salt, salt
- 1 pinch saffron
- 1 pound farfalle pasta
- 2 strips bacon, nicely cooked and crumbled
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- salt and pepper
- parmesan cheese
- parsley, minced
Instructions
- Peel the bottom of the asparagus spears and slice the spears on rounds.
- Heat the oil in saucepan and sauté the shallot. Add the asparagus and white wine. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the saffron and cook the farfalle until al dente (not too soft bust still with a bite).
- Drain the pasta and toss with the asparagus. Add the butter and mix well.
- Crumble the bacon over the pasta, grate some Parmesan Cheese and sprinkle with parsley.
Notes
Nutrition
Giangi’s Kitchen provides nutritional information, but these figures should be considered estimates, as a registered dietician does not calculate them.
- Course: Pasta, Rice & Grains, Dinners
- Cuisine: Italian
- Season: Spring
- Type: Under 45 minutes
Did you make this?
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Donna Saykanic
I am Type I diabetic. Could you please add recipes for diabetics. Thank you. Buona Pasquale.
Giangi Townsend
I will do my best to do so. Thank you for the suggestion.