Another simple pasta dish that is ready in the time it takes to cook penne. Pick up those veggies, this one's going to be a weekly staple.
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I love March. Basketball season is in full swing and hints of spring are teasing us before Minnesota's Mother Nature laughs and dumps six inches of snow. Calendars are filling up quickly for the coming months knowing that our winter hibernations are wrapping up and it's almost time to make the most of our beautiful spring, summer and fall months.
With all the excitement and events quickly taking over seemingly every day of the week it can be difficult to find time for the kitchen. When we have a spare moment to ourselves, a low-key night watching a movie and eating a frozen pizza seems much more appealing than spending hours in the kitchen cooking up a masterpiece and cleaning up after it. It's an easy cycle to fall into though and, like any bad habit, difficult to break. It's time to get back on track though. This simple asparagus penne is a great way to incorporate real vegetables back into your diet (although I still claim a supreme pizza counts...) while limiting your time in the kitchen to literally 20 minutes tops.
A handful of ingredients is all it takes to make this creamy and delicious vegetarian dish.
Ingredients
drizzle of olive oil
1/4 c. red onions- diced
1 small bunch of asparagus - cut into 1 - 2" pieces
1 pint cherry tomatoes - halved
salt & pepper
1/2 c. heavy cream
3 heaping tablespoons chive & onion cream cheese
12 oz cooked penne (I use Barilla Gluten Free Penne)
Directions
Heat a large pan over medium-high heat, drizzle in about a tablespoon of olive oil. Add red onions and cook, stirring occasionally for two minutes. Add asparagus and cook, stirring occasionally another 4 minutes. Add tomatoes, stir and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook an additional minute or two, stirring frequently. Add cream and stir in cream cheese until melted. Turn to low and let simmer until penne is cooked, drained and ready to add. Stir in cooked penne and serve.
Optional add-ins: red pepper flakes for an added kick and parmesan cheese for topping.
Ready in minutes and packed full of asparagus and tomatoes, this penne recipe is likely to make a weekly appearance in your house.