Asparagus and pea pasta with caramelized onion sauce

I LOVE ME SOME ASPARAGUS! Well….. apparently. Since this is my second post in 8 days with it. That asparagus soup didn’t count right? Totally different. I mean….. come one…….. soup! Totally different than pasta! Right? Right. You guys the sunshine is just ROCKIN MY FRIGGIN WORLD! I can’t help but bust out the Springy goodies. This is what my world looks like right now. I know it’s March, and technically Winter, but man….. doesn’t this pasta sound gooooooooood? Asparagus, peas, pasta, caramelized on-yones. Yep, this asparagus and pea pasta with caramelized onion sauce is as Spring as it gets. Don’t hate me!

So, Jared’s out of town for the next week or so. Which means that you should probably prepare for just drink recipes for the next week. Know what I eat for dinner when he’s gone? Cheese. I eat cheese. Sometimes crackers and fruit. But mostly just toast and cheese. I am such a health bomb. I know. What’s a girl to do though? I wish I could be all Amelie style, you know that scene where she sits down to her bowl of pasta alone and grates parmesan (no YouTube vid say what?!), but…… I’m not. Not in real life. So cheese it is. Plus wine. And drinks.

It may be a little different now that I have roommates too. I MAY eat some other stuff, and not spend all my time catching up on shitty reality TV and episodes of Girls, buuuuuuuuut probably not.

So, back to the PAAAAHSTA! You guys, caramelized onion sauce. CARAMELIZED ONION SAUCE! Really, it’s just caramelized onions, but I am calling it a sauce because I do use it as the sauce here. I’m hooked.

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Asparagus and pea pasta with caramelized onion sauce

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

1 hr 15 mins

Total Time

1 hr 20 mins

 

Delicious Spring asparagus and pea pasta with caramelized onion sauce recipe! Easy to prepare, and loaded with rich flavor!

Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 6 Tablespoons salted butter
• 4 Tablespoons olive oil
• 3 sliced large sweet yellow onions peeled and cut into 1/4"
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• 1 lb thin fresh asparagus tough ends removed
• 10 oz fresh English peas
• 1/3 cup sherry cooking wine
• 10 oz fresh egg pasta noodles like fettuccine or linguine
• 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese plus more for serving
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Heat butter and oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sugar and stir to combine. Cook for about 5 minutes, until onions are just starting to brown. Give a good stir and reduce heat to medium low. Continue to cook until onions are brown and caramelized, about an hour, stirring every 10 minutes. Be patient here! You want those onions to be brown and rich with flavor!*
2. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions, and prepare your vegetables and grate your cheese.
3. When onions are caramelized, stir in the asparagus and cook until al dente, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the peas and the sherry, and cook for another 2 minutes, then toss in the cooked pasta. When well combined, add cheese and toss until cheese is melted and pasta is well coated with onion sauce.
5. Season well with salt and pepper.
6. Serve with extra freshly grated parmesan cheese

*If you need help determining when your onions are fully caramelized, watch this video, but do not remove the excess liquid. This is the sauce!

As always, let me know if you make this! Be sure to tag #rhubarbarians on Instagram and Twitter!

Happy Spring almost Spring!

Trish