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Home » Dinner Recipes » Asparagus and White Bean Pesto Pasta

Asparagus and White Bean Pesto Pasta

Published: May 22, 2014 · Modified: Mar 10, 2022 by Louisa Clements · This post may contain affiliate links

This post may contain affiliate links

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22 minutes minutes 13 Comments

Try the Italian favourite of adding beans to pasta by tossing pesto with pasta, asparagus, white beans, tomato and green onion for a light and healthy spring dinner for asparagus and white bean pesto pasta. 

Asparagus and White Bean Pesto Pasta is the perfect light spring vegetarian dinner. | livinglou.com

It’s hard not to be inspired by the warm weather and fresh, in-season ingredients like asparagus. Just seeing them in the stores makes me excited about all the spring and summer recipes I have in the works. Seriously, just look at the gorgeous colours in this asparagus and white bean pesto pasta. It’s like spring on a plate.

I don’t know what it’s like in your part of the world, but in Toronto it’s been a much cooler spring than normal. It’s making me a little nervous about what this season is going to be like for fresh local produce, but I’m sure by the time June rolls around we’ll have a ton of fresh produce. But, even though it has been cooler, this weather is not always a bad thing because I feel like it has made these past few warmer and sunshine-filled days even nicer.

I think we have a bit of that “You can’t appreciate what you’ve got until it’s gone” kind of thing going on here. In my search for moments I think I’ve started overthinking things more than normal…which is probably not a good thing. Ha! We can talk about that overthinking thing another time.

Asparagus and White Bean Pesto Pasta is the perfect light spring vegetarian dinner. | livinglou.com

This is a recipe for a simple, vegetarian pasta dish that can be eaten warm or cold, it’s pretty versatile that way. Just the way I feel like most recipes should be, versatile. A warm spring pasta one night and a cold pasta salad for lunch the next day? It’s kind of the perfect meal – built in leftovers. I cooked this up earlier last week, just kind of throwing together ingredients that I already had in my fridge (asparagus, tomatoes, green onions, pesto) and in my cupboard (pasta and white beans).

This is a great “clean out your fridge” kind of recipe. You could even swap out the asparagus for another veggie like broccoli or even green beans, but with local asparagus in season I knew this dish needed some of its sweet, grassy flavour. I finished this dish off with a squeeze of lemon as the citrus and acidity brightens the flavours of this dish – I often find that if a dish seems a little lacking, a hint of lemon, lime or vinegar will do the trick.

The pesto adds a ton of flavour to this dish and acts as the sauce, in combination with the fresh vegetables and white beans I think this meal is a perfect 10. A trick that I use in my kitchen is to always have a jar of pesto in the fridge. It’s a simple and healthy way to make a meal and it’s what keeps this pasta more on the light side and away from the ooey-gooey, cheesy goodness of baked pasta we love in the winter.

Asparagus, white bean and pesto pasta recipe breakdown

A great clean-out-the-fridge meal, this vegetarian pasta filled with asparagus and tomatoes is a healthy dinner. With protein from white beans and flavour from pesto, this recipe works well both warm and cold (a perfect spring-time pasta salad).

Asparagus and White Bean Pesto Pasta is the perfect light spring vegetarian dinner. | livinglou.com

Asparagus, White Bean Pesto Pasta

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Enjoy the fresh vegetables of spring with this simple, protein packed vegetarian pasta dish.
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Prep: 15 minutes minutes
Cook: 7 minutes minutes
Total: 22 minutes minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 1 375 g package whole wheat pasta
  • 3 tbsp prepared pesto, or to taste
  • 1 bunch asparagus, tough ends trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 1 large tomato, diced
  • 1 19 oz can white beans, drained and rinsed
  • 4 green onions, sliced
  • juice of 1 lemon

Instructions

  • Cook pasta to package directions and toss with pesto.
  • Steam asparagus for 5-7 minutes or until tender. Shock in a cold water bath to stop cooking.
  • Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large pan, add tomato and cook for 2-5 minutes. Remove from heat and toss with asparagus, white beans green onions and pasta.
  • Sprinkle with lemon and serve.

Notes

Recipe by Louisa Clements
Did you try this recipe?Leave a comment + rating and let me know what you think!
Filed Under: Dinner Recipes, easy, lunch, Pasta, quick recipes, Spring, vegetarian

Let me know if you try this asparagus and white bean pesto pasta in the comments below.

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Comments

  1. Olivia

    May 27, 2014 at 8:11 pm

    I spend all winter looking forward to asparagus season and now that it's here, I can't get enough of it. I love this asparagus salad ;-)
    Reply
  2. Olivia

    May 24, 2014 at 11:19 am

    I am glad I found your blog. It is so pretty and your recipes looks so delicious. I love this sting salad ;-)
    Reply
    • Lou

      May 27, 2014 at 8:08 pm

      Thanks, Olivia! :)
      Reply
  3. Kathy @ Olives & Garlic

    May 23, 2014 at 1:17 pm

    I love that you added beans to this salad. It looks so summery and perfect for this weekend's BBQ. Have a great weekend.
    Reply
    • Lou

      May 27, 2014 at 8:08 pm

      Thank you, Kathy! It's a great way to get some extra protein in there.
      Reply
  4. Sarah@WholeandHeavenlyOven

    May 23, 2014 at 10:45 am

    What a gorgeously fresh and tasty pasta dish! I so want this pasta on my Memorial Day menu this weekend! Stunning photos. Pinned!
    Reply
    • Lou

      May 27, 2014 at 8:09 pm

      Thank you, Sarah! I hope you enjoyed it :)
      Reply
  5. Helen @ Scrummy Lane

    May 23, 2014 at 8:55 am

    Well, you know I approve of this dish, Lou, seeing as we are lemony asparagus pasta twins this week! Love your idea of using white beans to make a pesto. I'll definitely remember that one! :-)
    Reply
    • Lou

      May 27, 2014 at 8:09 pm

      Thanks, Helen! I guess it's true that great minds think alike, haha!
      Reply

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Hi, I'm Louisa Clements & welcome to Living Lou. I've been creating simple, fresh & flavorful recipes for the modern kitchen for 12 years.
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