Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Asparagus Pasta Bake (With or Without Meat)

Happy Wednesday- we're halfway there :) This week, I really feel like spring/summer is here! The weather is warm (80-90 degrees by the end of the week in Charleston!!) and the first farmers market is hitting downtown on Saturday. Given this, I felt inspired to make a spring-ish pasta dish. This dish can be made with or without meat. I made Josh's version with ground turkey.

Ingredients:
  • 1 bundle of asparagus chopped
  • 1/2 box pasta (desired shape)
  • ~2 1/2 cups pasta sauce (homemade or store bought)
  • 7-8 ounces part skim ricotta
  • 1/2 lb ground turkey (if desired)
  • olive oil
  • 1/2-1 cup part skim mozzarella, shredded

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat, add turkey, and cook through until no longer pink.


Cook pasta to al dente (according to package directions). In the last two minutes of cooking, add in the chopped asparagus. Drain, but do not rinse.

In a bowl, mix together ricotta and pasta sauce.



Then add all other ingredients and mix well.


Spray a baking dish with non-stick spray and fill with mixture.

Top with mozzarella. Bake for 30 minutes.

I love pasta dishes. You can make a large dish and eat it throughout the week.

How are your workouts coming this week? Are you taking advantage of the weather and getting in some outdoor runs? My teaching schedule is still pretty heavy, so I haven't been able to squeeze in any outdoor runs (but I hope to next month!). I have enjoyed walking Frank more frequently, which is leading to one tired bulldog:



Enjoy the rest of the week!!

64 comments:

Jessica @ How Sweet said...

I love baked pasta dishes! My hubby would love this too. It looks delicious, girl. :)

CaSaundraLeigh said...

The weather was in the high sixties here yesterday which is extremely rare--usually we're still fighting off snow this time of year, but hey, I am not complaining!

That pasta dish sounds super--I love ricotta!

Lauren said...

YUM girl!!!! Asparagus in a baked pasta?!? I never would have thought, but how great that must be! :)

Take care and have a wonderful day love.

Heather said...

My hubs just mentioned the other day he wanted me to make him pasta with a sauce and ricotta mix! Coincidence!

Great picture of Frank.....too cute...

Stephanie @cookinfanatic said...

I can't WAIT for the warm up here either, low 80s by end of the week! So exciting about the farmer's market, mine doesn't open until later in April but I am seriously counting the days. Baked pasta is soooo good, please help me make The Man like asparagus :/ -- bc I adore it!!!

homecookedem said...

Oh goodness, that looks awesome!! I love asparagus, but haven't ever had it in pasta. I love baked pastas way better than regular. It think it's the cheeeeeeeeese! ;)

Baby or Bikini said...

This weekend is going to be awesome! Not only are we going to see the 80's but it is opening farmer's market and Easter!! I am eating down my produce supply just so I can fill up on Saturday morning. :) Only another week more until Mt. Pleasant starts up too!

I'm not sure if you have ever participated in a CSA before, but I just signed up for Thornhill Farm's "late spring" CSA. They are an all organic farm in McClellanville and by joining the CSA it comes out to be $25 a week for organic fruits & veggies! Thought you might be interested.

GF Gidget said...

AWWWW the puppy!
I have been thinking about making a pasta bake for 2 days now. I guess this post is a sign!
This weather makes me CRAVE a good workout!

Molly said...

Gotta love pasta! That looks creamy and delicious!

Erica said...

Amelia-Hey girl! Do you have a blog? For some reason your profile won't come up for me. I have been thinking about joining the same CSA! I just emailed them this week. I think I'm going to visit them at the Daniel Island Farmers market on Thursday to check them out :) Hope you're having a great week. Email me if you get a minute itzyskitchen at gmail dot com

Trying To Heal said...

the pasta dish looks great!

i did a run and my first swim yesterday which was awesome! i can't wait to try again! this weekend i've got a 9-10 miler on board for a run. hopefully it goes well!

Anonymous said...

Oh my that looks good! I think my husband would even eat this one, the meat version of course. I recently tried that pasta sauce for the first time and it's become one of my favorites.

ebarave said...

Mmmm that looks delicious! I and always looking for a new way to incorporate asparagus into a meal.

Maria said...

Yea for asparagus! Great minds think alike:) I can't get enough of it!
My workouts are good this week-pump and elliptical so far. No running outside for me. We are supposed to get snow today. So sad!

Jessica said...

Pasta bake looks delicious! If I didn't have bbqs planned for the rest of the week, I might have been making this. I really like anything with melted cheese on top.
Workouts this week are usual and sweaty, perfect really.
Have a good day!

Naomi(Onefitfoodie) said...

BAKED PASTA!! yumm!! tahr reminded me of Jess (how sweet eats) pizza pasta!! this looks so good! and you are so right you can make a big batch and have it for the WHOLE WEEK! :) yummmmm

erica said...

I absolutely love baked pasta dishes. This one looks fantastic girly! I don't think I can talk the boy into asparagus though

xo enjoy your day!

Britt said...

Oh yum that pasta bake looks good.... I may have to make that tonight, I have asparagus and everything already!

Some day we will see the sun again.... workouts have been indoors so far this week due to the horrible downpours. I think the sun is suppose to make an appearance after today though!

allijag said...

That pasta dish looks AMAZING! and OMG - Frank honestly does get cuter by the day! I need to come visit Charleston real soon (my bestfriend is down there - perhaps a spring trip is needed!)

Tiffany said...

aw girl you always leave the sweetest comments on my blog! totally makes my morning. :)

your pasta bake looks so good! i've actually never made a baked pasta dish before (can you believe it??), but this may be my start! once i have enough time to cook, that is... haha. maybe after i graduate? :P

so jealous that farmers markets are starting this weekend for you! up here in NJ, they don't start until June/July!

tam said...

Yummy! I've never put asparagus in a bake but I'm sure gonna try now x x

Lauren @ Eater Not a Runner said...

Ahhh can't get over how cute Frank is :-)

Unknown said...

our weather? RAIN. i feel like frank :) great pasta dish!

did i see somewhere you might be in boston this summer??

Jessie (Vegan-minded) said...

This dish looks SO good! I have made a similar pasta bake before using mashed tofu in place of the ricotta. It worked out pretty well. Love the use of asparagus here. :)

As for working out, I went on a small run over the weekend (after not running for over a month), and I am pretty sore right now!

Beth @ DiningAndDishing said...

Yay for the Charleston farmers market! Have you ever been to the crepe stand there? We used to go most Saturdays when I lived there...their crepes are to die for!! :)

Anonymous said...

That looks awesome! Asparagus is on sale this week-I'll have to pick some up!

Holly said...

Oh my gosh - that looks delicious! I love pasta bakes for the same reason. They keep so well and don't get yucky heated up again!

Katie said...

This looks so good! You always have the most interesting pasta and casserole creations.

Hope you're having a great week, Erica!

Rose said...

You come up with with the greatest recipes. I can't wait to try this one!

Jessica said...

That looks awesome! I love asparagus.

Frank is super cute : )

Therese said...

That dish looks amazing! Both the hubs and I love asparagus (stinky pee and all) so this is going on the menu for sure...now if I can locate some cheap asparagus!

Pam said...

Frankster your SO adorable.....I can see why your Mama loves YOU!

I love Farmer's Markets..it will be a bit before our's opens up!

Love the pasta dish...yumm!

xoxo

lizzy said...

Hey chica!! asparagus is definitely in season and sooooo tasty right now! LOVE the recipe, thank you for sharing! :) and awww tired Frank! I have been workin' out outside/spinning...but the WIND is a PAIN during my runs! (i'm using it as resistance-training!) ;)
I hope you have a great wednesday!
xoxo!

Alisa said...

I love the idea of this recipe! I can't have cheese, but that is easy enough to work with. There has just been asparagus everywhere lately!

Sophie @ yumventures said...

I love asparagus ... and cheese! Looks amazing!

Janetha @ meals + moves said...

oh my gosh. you are a GENIUS! i never thought to add the asparagus straight to the pasta water. and i ALWAYS make pasta with asparagus! i am just so excited. yes, it is the little things i adore :)

Mom on the Run said...

I love pasta dishes with veggies incorporated with it. Asparagus is so yum!

I have been slacking on workouts. The weather has been cruddy and I have not been feeling great. Hope the warm weather will motivate me.

Anonymous said...

YUMMMM!!!! That looks goood! May have to give it a try. I've gotta a big bunch of asparagus inmy fridge!

My workouts have been random so far this week! But last weeks were awesome. I'm hopeing to make it to Pump tonight!

Jenna said...

I am so excited that asparagas is coming into season, I picked some up this past weekend!

I love pasta dishes too. They freeze well and make great leftovers!

Anonymous said...

That looks delicious! I don't think I've ever had asparagus in a dish- I always just have it on the side. Can't wait for spring produce to be plentiful here- we have had snow for the past 2 days!

Krista said...

What a great sounding baked dish! Asparagus is a fave of mine, too. Isn't it great that the weather is getting warm enough for the markets to start up again????

Jhonny walker said...

baked anything is good..and the pasta is real lovely lookin too.:)

teresa said...

this looks awesome, i'm crazy about asparagus. frank is so dang cute!

fittingbackin said...

Love the bulldog pic! We're getting nice weather here lately, too - love it! The pasta bake looks great, I never would have thought to add asparagus! My workouts are going well, although I had to take a mini break this afternoon to catch up on work!

BroccoliHut said...

Ooh! I'll take any excuse to eat more asparagus:)

Julie said...

i am LOVIN this dish! i think it would be a great dish if it was cold too :) like next day leftovers :) mmmm mmmm

unfourtunately we have been uber flooded around here! but i've still been hittin the gym haha just swimming there instead of running. although even if it was nice out i don't think my hip could handle the runs :(


glad franks getting some good workouts in too! haha he's gotta get ready for bathing suit season ;)

Anonymous said...

CUTE bulldog face.
Spicy tomato sauce? I've never seen such a thing!
Katherine

Paige@ RunningaroundNormal said...

Oh Frank, you have my heart!! I've been running outdoors on the weekends. Like you, I'm too busy during the weekdays. Since I workout myself in the mornings, it's too dark to run outside yet.

Anonymous said...

Such a cute picture of doggie :)

I love pasta bakes, you can make them on a whim and freeze the leftovers! This looks really good and I would have never thought to add the asparagus and meat together in a bake....genius!

Andrea @ CanYouStayForDinner.com said...

Mmm this baked pasta is so yummy! Daniel would be the happiest guy around! And you're so right- they heat up well so it's nice to have a big batch.
Frank steals my heart every time!!

Anonymous said...

Aww, I love Frank.

Nicole Carrillo said...

No way! I just recently tried asparagus for the first time, and now I super love it! This recipe looks delicious, gracias! :)

We Are Not Martha said...

This looks like an awesome idea, and I too love pasta dishes because they last all week! I also love asparagus :) Your dog is adorable!! But the weather here is nothing to take advantage of... rain, rain, and more rain!

Sues

Heather @ Get Healthy With Heather said...

I wish the weather here in Washington was 80-90, we had thunderstorms last night and rain ahead :( Hope you do get to run outside this next month which starts today! Crazy that it's April already.

The asparagus pasta bake sound easy and delicious! Asparagus is one of my favs and I love using the trick to throw it in the pasta water for the last couple minutes. No use in dirtying up more than one pot.

Michelle @ Find Your Balance said...

Ooh I keep seeing posts about asparagus. Not quite getting good asparagus up here yet but soon! Looking forward to it because your dinner looks totally yummy :-)

Angharad said...

Love it! This looks mouth-watering and I am totally with you on making big pasta dishes that last all week long!

The Blonde Duck said...

That looks awesome! It's 80 here too--huzzah!

Esi said...

I'm loving the spring asparagus. It was almost 90 last weekend, but cooled down a lot since...getting back into the workouts though!

Anonymous said...

Adding the asparagus in with the pasta while it is cooking reminds me of an asparagus pasta recipe I have that I haven't made in FOREVER. Your version is quite different than mine - I need to make both!

Workouts are going well this week. Took a much-needed rest day yesterday and am going for a run in about 30 minutes. :)

Averie @ Averie Cooks said...

OMG so that looks sooo good, and i love, love asparagus!

i met with a trainer today for the first time ever to talk about getting this bootie into bikini comp form :)
xoxo

Deva (Voracious Vorilee) said...

I love baked pasta dishes, but am not a HUGE fan of pasta w/red sauce on its own - which is odd. I love alfredo, though.

lauren said...

what a great dish. I love how you threw the asparagus in with the pasta in the last 2 mins. Enjoy your weekend!

Kerstin said...

Baked pasta is always so good and I love that you used asparagus in it -yum!!

The Healthy Hostess said...

Great recipe! Asparagus is so good right now! Thanks!
:)