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Garlic Butter Asparagus Pasta

Garlic Butter Asparagus Pasta is made with orzo pasta and fresh asparagus, tossed in a garlic butter sauce and parmesan cheese. It’s an easy 20-minute, cheesy side dish!

Orzo pasta and asparagus in a skillet with parmesan cheese.

Easy Orzo Pasta With Asparagus

This Asparagus Pasta recipe is heavenly. I mean, smother anything in garlic butter sauce and it’ll automatically taste great, but this pasta is next-level delicious. Just look at that layer of golden orzo and beautiful, bright green asparagus covered in buttery amazingness… is your stomach rumbling yet?

When I need a quick side dish that I know everybody will eat, I whip up this simple mix of cheesy asparagus and tender pasta. It goes with just about any meal you can think of – chicken, steak, fish, you name it. You can even serve it by itself as a light dinner, if you want!

However you want to enjoy it is just fine, as long as you give it a try. You will not regret digging into this parmesan pasta with asparagus, which you can make in just 20 minutes by the way! Prepare to be blown away by the cheesy garlic butter goodness!

(Also… If you’re looking for another cheesy asparagus pasta recipe, check out this Creamy Chicken Asparagus Pasta and Cheese Recipe!)

What Makes This Asparagus Pasta So Good?

There are a lot of orzo pasta recipes out there, so why make this one? Good question! Here’s why I’m so in love with this asparagus pasta recipe:

  • Cheesy and Buttery. I just can’t stop talking about how fantastic this garlicky, cheesy veggie pasta tastes. I don’t know about you, but if I could enjoy a parmesan garlic butter sauce every day, I probably would!
  • Quick. As mentioned above, you can make this pasta in 20 minutes! Plus, most of the ingredients are probably already in your pantry or in the fridge.
  • Healthy. Look at all that fresh asparagus! This pasta side dish is a great way to encourage your kids to gobble down veggies.
Tender orzo pasta with asparagus in a garlic butter sauce.

Recipe Ingredients

Let’s talk about what you need to round up to make this pasta! Keep in mind that you can find the exact quantities for each ingredient in the recipe card below.

  • Pasta – I like to use orzo in this recipe, but you could also use another small pasta like penne.
  • Asparagus – Just use the tips for this dish (cut the asparagus about 2 to 3 inches from the top).
  • Butter – Salted and unsalted both work – if you use salted, just reduce the amount of salt you add in later.
  • Garlic – I like to mince garlic cloves because it provides the strongest flavor, but you can use store-bought minced garlic or even garlic powder in a pinch.
  • Parmesan Cheese – Grated parmesan cheese tastes best here, but you can use pre-shredded parmesan if you’re in a hurry.
  • Milk – I prefer to use skim milk, but 1 or 2% milk can be substituted.
  • Seasoning – Keep it simple with salt, pepper, and some fresh parsley!

How To Make Garlic Butter Asparagus Pasta

This asparagus pasta is one of those side dishes that forces me to go back and steal just one more bite (make that TEN) while I’m packing it up to put away in the fridge. But, before that, here’s how it all comes together (note that you can find the full set of directions in the recipe card as well!):

  • Prepare the pasta. Cook the orzo according to the package directions, adding the asparagus tips in for the last 2 minutes of cooking time. Then, remove everything from the heat and drain.
  • Add butter to a skillet. Next, stir in the garlic and cook it for 5 minutes. Continue to stir so that the garlic doesn’t burn.
  • Combine the ingredients. Then, stir in the prepared orzo and asparagus stalks, along with the cheese, milk, parsley, salt, and pepper.
  • Enjoy. Cook everything for 1 more minute, garnish with parmesan cheese, and finally, serve!
Asparagus pasta in a pan with parmesan cheese and garlic butter sauce.

Tips & Recipe Variations

Pretty simple, right? I only have a few more tips and tricks to share with you before you get started on the pasta:

  • Cut the asparagus. If you snap the asparagus, you’ll lose more of the stalk than just the tough part that you’re trying to get rid of. Slicing the stalks allows you to be more precise when you cut them 2-3 inches from the top.
  • Use thin asparagus. The thinner the stalks are, the easier they are to eat with pasta. That being said, you can absolutely use thick asparagus if you prefer.
  • Add lemon juice. If you want some tangy, zesty flavor thrown in with this pasta, add some fresh lemon juice!

What Goes With Asparagus Pasta?

Like I mentioned above, this asparagus pasta recipe can be served with practically any main course! Here are some of my favorite pairings:

Orzo and asparagus with grated parmesan cheese.

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

Should you have any leftover pasta, go ahead and save some for later – it makes a great lunch for school or work! Here’s how to do that:

  • To Store. Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
  • To Reheat. The best way to reheat this pasta is in a skillet with a touch of oil over medium-low heat, because this will help the asparagus crisp up a little. If you’re not worried so much about the texture of the asparagus, though, you can just use the microwave.

More Easy Asparagus Recipes

Ready to try some more asparagus side dishes? These are some of my favorites!

Garlic Butter Asparagus Pasta - Orzo Pasta and fresh Asparagus tossed in a garlic butter sauce and parmesan cheese. It's a 20-minute, garlicky and cheesy pasta dinner! Get the recipe on diethood.com

Garlic Butter Asparagus Pasta

Katerina | Diethood
Orzo pasta and fresh asparagus are tossed in a garlic butter sauce with parmesan cheese. It’s a 20-minute, garlicky, cheesy, and amazing side dish!
4.91 from 20 votes
Servings : 4
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 cup dry orzo
  • 1 pound fresh asparagus , tips only (cut the asparagus about 2 to 3-inches from the top)
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 3 garlic cloves , minced
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 2 tablespoons skim milk
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley
  • salt and fresh ground pepper , to taste
  • shredded parmesan cheese for garnish , optional

Instructions
 

  • Prepare orzo according to the directions on the package.
  • Add the asparagus tips to the orzo the last 2-minutes of cooking.
  • Remove from heat and drain.
In the meantime prepare the garlic-butter sauce.
  • Add butter to a skillet and melt over medium heat.
  • Stir in garlic and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until lightly browned, stirring very frequently. Do not burn the garlic.
  • Add orzo and asparagus to the skillet; stir in the cheese, milk, parsley, salt and pepper.
  • Cook for 1 minute, or until heated through.
  • Remove from heat.
  • Garnish with parmesan cheese.
  • Serve.

Video

Notes

  • To Store. Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
  • To Reheat. The best way to reheat this pasta is in a skillet with a touch of oil over medium-low heat, because this will help the asparagus crisp up a little. If you’re not worried so much about the texture of the asparagus, though, you can just use the microwave.

Nutrition

Calories: 295 kcal | Carbohydrates: 33 g | Protein: 10 g | Fat: 13 g | Saturated Fat: 8 g | Cholesterol: 35 mg | Sodium: 204 mg | Potassium: 333 mg | Fiber: 3 g | Sugar: 3 g | Vitamin A: 1360 IU | Vitamin C: 8.4 mg | Calcium: 121 mg | Iron: 3 mg

Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.

Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: asparagus pasta, asparagus pasta recipe, orzo pasta recipes
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70 comments on “Garlic Butter Asparagus Pasta”

  1. Avatar photo
    Debbie Obrien

    I have a family of 3 adults and a 12, 5, and 4 year old grandchildren… it’s not easy finding dinners that everyone one likes. I paired this with peach bbq pork steaks…they loved everything! My 5 year old grandson (who’s not one for veggies of any kind) loves asparagus now! My 4 year old granddaughter (who only likes certain veggies and no meat) loved it all! Thank you for your recipes!! God bless you profusely!

  2. Absolutely delicious! I cooked according to directions except I sautéed chopped onions with the garlic. I used Israeli couscous instead of orzo because that is what I had on hand. Next time I will do the same but reduce the amount of butter.

  3. Avatar photo
    Kami Hartstein

    It was really good. The family loved it! The one thing I would change is substitute the milk with hot pasta water a little bit at a time until it all comes together. Otherwise, a great side dish!

  4. Delicious!! I halved the amount of orzo, parmesan and milk and decreased the butter to 1tbs to make a smaller amount. It was perfect for me and my husband. Had it with some lemon pepper chicken.

  5. Just whipped this up and it’s so delicious! Love the creamy texture. I added little grape tomatoes and some baby spinach into the melted butter and garlic mixture. Great side dish! Thanks for the recipe <3

  6. Delicous and easy to prepare. I have made this several times and it never disappoints.

    Yesterday, I used Kerrigold Garlic & Herb butter instead of plain butter, and it added some great flavor, and if you can find it, I suggest trying it.

    I also added some grilled shrimp to make it a complete meal.

  7. Deeee-licious! Maybe not as easy as I wanted it to be, but it will be when make it again and again. I’ll have everything measured, prepped and ready to go. Just wanted to let you know how yummy I thought it was!

  8. Mine did not have as much flavor as I expected. I will try again and see if I DoD something wrong…I like the little bit I did have.

  9. Yummy!!! And you weren’t lying when you said quick and easy. I’m that person who takes 45 minutes to make mac n cheese. Lol. This took me 5 minutes to prep and another 10 to cook. And it was so good. I paired it with a nice caprese chicken breast but this easily could’ve been a full meal for me. Thanks for this easy, delicious recipe.

  10. Could I use whole wheat pasta and mozzarella cheese in place of the orzo and Parmesan cheese?! Trying to see if I can work with what I already have…

  11. Avatar photo
    Jakalyn Helling

    This is a wonderful, easy side dish. Made tonight and so pleased with the results. Easy, tasty, nice enough to serve as a side at a dinner party. I didn’t have a full pound of asparagus so added frozen peas. Thank you so much for sharing!

    1. Katerina - Diethood
      Katerina Petrovska

      Hi! I just tried in both chrome and safari, and it worked for me. If you have a minute, could you please let me know what device you’re using and what browser so that I can fix the issue? Thank YOU!

      1. I’ve tried on both my Chromebook and Chrome on my iMac, but it’s still no good. Here’s what I see on the ‘print’ page.

    2. Avatar photo
      Candace Vilain

      Tired of reading all these white people stories when I just want a fucking recipe. Cut the crap

      1. The world needs LESS people like you! Rude! You are just trying to stir up drama! You had to pass by the recipe to get to these comments! You knew what you were doing and shame on you!

      2. Vulgar language, rude, racist, & unnecessary. Please get yourself to some anger management classes. Learn how to be kind & considerate to others.

    1. Katerina - Diethood
      Katerina Petrovska

      Hi! I think wild rice would go great with this recipe! While I always freeze cooked asparagus, I have never done it with this recipe because it just comes together in no time, but I think it would definitely be OK. Both, rice and asparagus, freeze well, so why not. 🙂

  12. Avatar photo
    Stacey Fisher

    I made this today…delicious!! The only thing I did differently was roast the asparagus while the orzo was cooking and I was making the sauce. I cut them into three pieces, tossed them with a little olive oil, salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese and put them in a 425 degree oven. After that I folded them in with the orzo and sauce.

  13. Just made this last night. I didn’t have orzo on hand, so I used a little star shaped pasta that I had in the pantry. I also used heavy cream in place of the milk, and used a little of the pasta water to get the right consistency. It was so creamy and delish! I thought I was eating a fancy risotto, only this was much easier. My husband loved it and declared “You can make this every week”! Thanks for such a quick and easy, GREAT recipe! I will be sharing!

  14. This was tasty and delishious. . I ended up roasting some asparagus at the same time also and just threw a couple in- this would be equally delish with roasted asparagus too! Quick and easy meal. Thanks for sharing

  15. Thank you this sounds so good, will try it this week and make my hubby some baked chicken to go with it.

    1. Katerina - Diethood
      Katerina Petrovska

      Hi Juanita! I love this as a side to chicken – I hope you’ll enjoy it, too! Let me know if you have a chance! 😀 Have a great Sunday!

  16. I have made this numerous times since I found the recipe and we absolutely love it. Thanks for sharing. It’s so simple but so VERY good. Making it again for dinner right now.

  17. I made the garlic butter asparagus pasta with non-dairy products (Earth Balance “butter”, Veggie “parmesan cheese” and soy milk) and it was DELICIOUS! I also added 1 lb. chicken that I sauteed in a non-stick skillet for some protein and my whole family (four-year old twins included!) ate it up! Delish!!

  18. Avatar photo
    Michelle @ A Dish of Daily Life

    Just made this for dinner tonight, Katerina! So easy and SO good! This is definitely a keeper for us!

  19. Making this again!!!! I pinned it when I first made it. Was looking at my pins for a good side dish for roasted chicken and saw this and was like YES! This was delicious!!! Thank you!!

  20. Avatar photo
    topcookwareonline

    I’ve made this several times. We were all shocked to discover we like asparagus! At least, when it’s covered in garlic and butter…
    This recipe is amazingly simple and amazingly delicious. Thank you so much!

  21. Just love it when someone posts a delish/easy/fun recipe. Even more so because of the fact you embrace everyone’s ‘tweaks’ to your recipe. My tweak would be to use cream instead of skim milk and add some shrimp in there. Can’t help myself, I’ll eat those lovely crustaceans every chance I get. I’m thinking this with a loaf of crusty bread and a tossed green salad w/a vinaigrette would be great for date night. THANKS for such a great recipe.

    CHEERS, CC

  22. My husband made this for us one night last week. We loved it and gobbled it all. He told his work colleagues about it and now it has spread throughout his company. Everyone who has made it loves it and has made it more than once! So have we!
    Thanks, Katerina for such an easy and delicious meal. Last night we used the rest of the asparagus from the first try and threw in slices of chicken sausage for a really yum one pot dish!

  23. Avatar photo
    heather @french press

    consider my pizza dinner plans changed! How could I pass up asparagus with orzo and garlic butter – SO good!!

  24. Avatar photo
    Anne@FromMySweetHeart

    This looks really wonderful, Katerina! I find I am using orzo more in place of rice or traditional pasta. So I’m always looking for new recipes. The asparagus makes this a perfect spring meal. And I’m all for a delicious dish that comes together in 20 minutes! : )

      1. Katerina - Diethood
        Katerina Petrovska

        Hi Olivya! The very bottom of the asparagus is stringy, so you don’t want to use that. But, in this particular recipe I only use the tips so you don’t have to cut it while eating. But, if you want to use all of it without the very bottom, the recipe will still taste great, you’ll just have to possibly use a knife to cut it up when eating.

        If you need a recipe to use up the rest of the asparagus, make this soup – it’s sooo good! 🙂 https://diethood.com/asparagus-soup/

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