Tomato & Asparagus Carbonara
Richard Bigg | Published 13 December 2017

We're halfway through the summer already! How is that even possible? As I type, I can't even believe that it's August 3rd - YIKES. We'll soon be seeing Christmas decorations in all of the retail stores. Double YIKES


I plan to take advantage of these remaining sunny days and these veggies while they're still in season. That brings me to this tasty, summer pasta dish! It's the perfect blend of cherry tomatoes, golden tomatoes, asparagus, all tossed in a carbonara sauce! If you've never had pasta carbonara, it's basically a sauce made of up eggs, cheese, black pepper and usually bacon or pancetta. I omitted the meat here but you can definitely add it if you choose! The veggie-tastic version is plenty flavorful on it's own, especially with a little kick from our friends garlic and red-pepper.


You will need:

  • 8 ounces uncooked penne pasta
  • 1-2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 pound, diagonally cut, trimmed asparagus. (1-2 inches)
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved (smaller the better so they're bite-sized)
  • 1/2 pint (or more), small golden tomatoes, halved
  • 1/2 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 large egg + 2 egg yolks
  • 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes (or more, depending on how spicy you like it!)
  • 1/4 cup reserved pasta water
  • Parmesan cheese for garnish
  1. Bring a generously salted pot of water to a boil.
  2. Once your water is boiling, add pasta and cook per the package instructions.
  3. When you start cooking your pasta, heat a large nonstick skillet with olive oil, over medium-high heat, swirling pan to coat. (I love these eco-friendly Greenpan Black Ceramic Nonstick pans from Williams-Sonoma. They're PFOA-, lead- and cadmium-free!)
  4. Add asparagus and sauté for 3-4 minutes.
  5. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute, stirring with asparagus to combine.
  6. Add tomatoes, red pepper and wine, cooking until wine reduces and tomatoes are tender.
  7. Meanwhile, add cheese, salt, pepper, heavy cream and eggs to a medium bowl and combine with a whisk.
  8. When pasta is fully cooked, drain and toss immediately with egg mixture, in a large, pre-heated bowl until combined. SEE NOTE BELOW.
  9. Add tomato/asparagus mixture with the 1/4 cup of reserved pasta water and toss until combined and sauces thickens.
  10. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and enjoy!
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