Creamy Lemon Pasta with Spring Vegetables | One Pot One Portion
This spring vegetable pasta is similar is style to a carbonara, with a silky cheese sauce, but uses fresh and bright asparagus, broccoli and peas in place of salty cured meats. Lots of lemon zest is also added to this and the result is a beautifully bright and light pasta, perfect for enjoying at lunch or dinner while the sun shines.
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Are you craving a vibrant, fresh, and utterly comforting pasta dish that’s perfectly portioned for one? Look no further than my Creamy Lemon Pasta with Spring Vegetables! This recipe is a celebration of spring, bringing together tender pasta, crisp green vegetables, and a luscious, bright lemon sauce. It's the ultimate hassle-free, delicious meal, designed entirely for cooking for one.
About This Dish: A Burst of Springtime Flavour
My Creamy Lemon Pasta with Spring Vegetables is a truly uplifting dish, embodying the fresh, light essence of springtime. It’s a beautifully balanced creation, combining al dente orecchiette with the delicate crunch and sweet notes of seasonal greens like asparagus, tender broccoli, and vibrant peas. What truly elevates this dish, however, is the rich yet zesty lemon sauce, which miraculously comes together from just egg, Pecorino cheese, and a touch of pasta water. This creates a wonderfully silky coating for every piece of pasta and vegetable, tying all the flavours together in a harmonious blend.
This is my go-to recipe when I want something quick, comforting, and packed with fresh produce. The sauce delivers a wonderful contrast: creamy and indulgent, yet bright and refreshing thanks to the lemon. It's a simple yet elegant dish that feels like a treat, without any fuss. The combination of spring green pasta and asparagus pasta flavours makes it feel truly seasonal and special.
Why You'll Want to Make My Recipe
My Creamy Lemon Pasta with Spring Vegetables is an absolute game-changer for anyone seeking a quick, satisfying, and utterly delicious meal designed specifically for a single serving. Whether you're a busy solo cook, a student looking for a substantial yet simple meal, an empty nester who's tired of cooking for a crowd, a single parent needing a fast and nourishing option, or simply someone who appreciates the efficiency of cooking for one, this recipe is crafted for you.
Single Serve
This recipe is inherently a single-serve sensation. Every ingredient is portioned to create one perfect bowl of pasta, eliminating waste and ensuring you have just the right amount for a satisfying meal without leftovers. It's truly a one portion marvel, designed for effortless enjoyment when you're cooking for one.
15-Minute Meal
From start to finish, you can have this delicious pasta dish ready in approximately 15 minutes. The fastest part is cooking the pasta and quickly blanching the vegetables, while the sauce comes together in minutes. This makes it an ideal choice for a speedy lunch or a fuss-free dinner for one. No long waits, just deliciousness in a flash.
One Pot
This is the true beauty of this recipe! My Creamy Lemon Pasta with Spring Vegetables is a genuine one pot meal. Everything, from cooking the pasta and vegetables to creating the creamy lemon sauce, happens in a single pan. This significantly minimises washing up, making post-meal cleanup almost non-existent. It’s the ultimate convenience for cooking for one, ensuring you spend less time scrubbing and more time enjoying.
Top Tips for Perfect Creamy Lemon Pasta: Mastering the One-Pot Method
Achieving perfectly cooked pasta and a luscious sauce in one pot is simple with these key tips.
- Don't Overcook the Pasta (or Veg!): Orecchiette cooks relatively quickly. You'll boil it for 8 minutes before adding the vegetables for the final 2 minutes. This ensures the pasta is al dente and the vegetables are tender-crisp, not mushy.
- The Magic of Pasta Water: That starchy water from cooking the pasta is your secret ingredient! It's essential for creating the silky, creamy sauce without actual cream. The starches help emulsify the egg and cheese mixture, making it cling beautifully to the pasta. Make sure to reserve at least 100ml (about half a cup) before draining.
- Temper the Egg Mixture: When you add the egg, Pecorino, and lemon zest mixture to the pasta, it's crucial that the pan is on a very low heat or even off the heat completely. You don't want to scramble the egg! Slowly stirring in a splash of the hot pasta water into the egg mixture before adding it to the pan (known as tempering) also helps prevent scrambling and creates that lovely, smooth sauce.
- Stir Continuously for Silkiness: Once the egg mixture is in the pan with the pasta, stir, stir, stir! Keep it moving over the low heat. This continuous stirring helps the sauce thicken gradually and evenly, ensuring a silky, glossy coating rather than a clumpy one. Add more reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time if the sauce becomes too thick. This is key for truly creamy lemon pasta.
- Don't Skimp on the Lemon Zest & Black Pepper: While lemon juice provides tang, lemon zest contains the essential oils that deliver that vibrant, aromatic lemon flavour without adding too much acidity. And don't be shy with the black pepper – it beautifully complements the richness of the cheese and brightens the lemon. Add them just before mixing in the sauce for maximum impact.
More Detail on Ingredients and the Tools You'll Need
Having the right ingredients and a few basic tools makes whipping up this delicious one pot pasta a breeze.
Essential Ingredients:
- Orecchiette: This "little ear" shaped pasta is fantastic for catching all that delicious sauce, making it a perfect choice for my spring green pasta.
- Asparagus: Cut into small pieces, it adds a tender-crisp bite and classic spring flavour, essential for asparagus pasta.
- Broccoli: Very small florets cook quickly and add earthy notes and texture.
- Frozen Peas: A convenient and vibrant addition, adding sweetness and a pop of colour.
- Egg: This is the surprise secret to the creaminess, along with the cheese. It emulsifies with the pasta water to create a luscious sauce.
- Pecorino: Grated Pecorino cheese (a hard, salty Italian cheese made from sheep's milk) adds a sharp, salty, umami kick and helps thicken the sauce.
- Lemon: Both the zest (from half a lemon) and the implied juice (from the zest process) are crucial. Lemon zest provides aromatic citrus notes, ensuring it's truly creamy lemon pasta.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: A drizzle at the end adds a touch of richness and fruity flavour.
- Salt: Essential for seasoning the pasta water and balancing the overall flavours.
- Black Pepper: Plenty of freshly ground black pepper is vital for flavour and aroma.
Essential Tools:
- Saucepan (Medium-Sized): This is your "one pot." Choose one large enough to comfortably hold the pasta, vegetables, and sauce for a single-serve portion without overflowing.
- Colander: For draining the pasta and vegetables after cooking.
- Small Bowl: For whisking together the egg, cheese, and lemon zest.
- Whisk or Fork: For thoroughly combining the sauce ingredients.
- Spatula or Wooden Spoon: For stirring the pasta and vegetables during cooking and for creating the silky sauce.
- Grater (Microplane): For zesting the lemon, ensuring you get only the bright zest and none of the bitter pith.
- Measuring Jug/Cup: For reserving the pasta water.
Step by Step Instructions
Boil the pasta: add the orecchiette to a pan of well-salted water and place over a medium high heat so the water is boiling. Boil for around 8 minutes.
Make the egg & cheese mixture: meanwhile mix the egg, cheese and lemon zest in a separate bowl until well combined. Add lots of black pepper and mix again.
Blanche the vegetables: when the pasta has had 8 minutes, add the broccoli, peas and asparagus and cook for another 2 minutes.
Mix together: Reserve at least 100ml of pasta water then drain the pasta and add back to the pan. Mix 50ml pasta water with the egg and cheese and stir to combine, then add this mixture to the pasta in the pan, on a very low heat. Stir continuously until the sauce is silky and has thickened up slightly (add more pasta water if it gets too thick). Serve up and top with a little drizzle of good quality olive oil.
Delicious Variations: Customising My Creamy Lemon Pasta
My Creamy Lemon Pasta with Spring Vegetables is incredibly versatile! Feel free to adapt it to your taste or dietary needs.
- Making it Gluten-Free: Simply swap the orecchiette for your favourite gluten-free pasta variety. Most gluten-free pastas cook similarly to regular pasta, though cooking times might vary slightly, so check package instructions.
- Making it Dairy-Free: This one requires substituting the Pecorino cheese.
- Pecorino: Swap for a dairy-free Parmesan alternative (often made from nutritional yeast and nuts) or simply omit it for a lighter, dairy-free sauce. The egg remains, providing creaminess.
- The rest of the ingredients (orecchiette, asparagus, broccoli, peas, lemon, olive oil, salt, pepper) are naturally dairy-free.
- Making it Vegan: This recipe contains egg and Pecorino cheese, so it needs more significant changes to be vegan.
- Egg: This is the trickiest part. You would need to use a vegan egg substitute designed for sauces (like a silken tofu purée, or a specific plant-based "egg" replacer for creaminess) and thicken it with extra nutritional yeast or a cornflour/starch slurry. This would require more experimentation.
- Pecorino: Use a dairy-free Parmesan alternative.
- The rest of the ingredients are plant-based.
- Adding Protein: For an extra protein boost, consider stirring in some cooked chicken (shredded or diced), flaked salmon, or even white beans (cannellini beans) during the last few minutes of cooking. This transforms it into an even more substantial dinner for one.
- Different Vegetables: While asparagus and broccoli are perfect for spring, you can swap them out based on season or preference. Fresh spinach (stirred in at the very end), tenderstem broccoli, or even thinly sliced courgette/zucchini would work beautifully in this creamy lemon pasta. You could also add other spring green pasta variations like broad beans.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: What is a One-Pot Pasta?
A: A one-pot pasta is a method of cooking where all the ingredients – the dry pasta, liquid (like the pasta water here), vegetables, and seasonings – are cooked together in a single pot or pan. In my recipe, we cook the pasta and vegetables in well-salted water, then drain, and then create the sauce in the same pot by combining the egg, cheese, and pasta water. This ensures a creamy, flavourful dish with minimal washing up, making it an ideal technique for cooking for one or for quick weeknight meals.
Q: Why do you use egg for creaminess instead of cream?
A: Using egg and Pecorino, combined with the hot, starchy pasta water, creates an incredibly silky and rich sauce without the need for actual dairy cream. This method is inspired by classic Italian pasta dishes like Carbonara. The hot pasta water gently cooks and emulsifies the egg and cheese, resulting in a luscious, glossy coating that's lighter than a traditional cream sauce but just as satisfying. It's a wonderful way to achieve creamy lemon pasta without heavy cream.
Q: Can I use different types of pasta?
A: Yes, you can! Shorter pasta shapes like fusilli, penne, rigatoni, or farfalle work best for this method as they cook evenly and hold the sauce well. Long pasta like spaghetti or fettuccine can also work, but you'll need a larger pan and may need to break them in half initially. Ensure the pasta is good quality so it holds its shape.
Q: My sauce is too thick/too thin. How can I fix it?
A: The consistency of the sauce can vary slightly depending on your pan and how much starch is released.
* Too Thick: If the sauce becomes too thick, simply add a splash (a tablespoon or two at a time) of the reserved pasta water while stirring continuously over very low heat until you reach your desired creamy consistency.
* Too Thin: If the sauce is still too thin, ensure you are stirring continuously over very low heat to encourage it to thicken. If it doesn't thicken enough, you can add a tiny bit more grated Pecorino. Be careful not to boil, as this can curdle the egg.
Q: Can I use frozen vegetables other than peas?
A: While peas are excellent, you can certainly use other quick-cooking frozen vegetables. Small frozen green beans or even a mix of frozen spring vegetables (if cut small) could work. Add them along with the peas and broccoli in the last 2 minutes of cooking to ensure they cook through.
Enjoy my incredibly easy, vibrant, and perfectly portioned Creamy Lemon Pasta with Spring Vegetables! It's the ultimate example of how simple ingredients can create something truly delicious when you're cooking for one. What other clever single-serve meal ideas are you hoping to discover next?
Ingredients
To Serve One, You Need:
- 100g Orecchiette
- 50g Asparagus, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 50g Broccoli, cut into very small florets
- 50g Frozen Peas
- 1 Egg
- 45g Grated Pecorino
- Zest of 1/2 Lemon
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Salt
- Black Pepper
Instructions
- Add the orecchiette to a pan of well-salted water and place over a medium high heat so the water is boiling.
- Boil for around 8 minutes. Meanwhile mix the egg, cheese and lemon zest in a separate bowl until well combined. Add lots of black pepper and mix again.
- When the pasta has had 8 minutes, add the broccoli, peas and asparagus and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Reserve at least 100ml of pasta water then drain the pasta and add back to the pan.
- Mix 50ml pasta water with the egg and cheese and stir to combine, then add this mixture to the pasta in the pan, on a very low heat.
- Stir continuously until the sauce is silky and has thickened up slightly (add more pasta water if it gets too thick).
- Serve up and top with a little drizzle of good quality olive oil.
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I buy a lot of cook books and this is genuinely one of the best l've ever bought. I've tried 6 or 7 recipes so far and they're all winners. I'm well used to scaling recipes down to one portion, but not having to calculate measurements as l go along feels like a little luxury. One of the best things about the book is that all the recipes are actually cooked in one pot - in a lot of other so-called books you still have to make your side dish in a separate pot. With these recipes, even if they include rice or pasta, it's all cooked together. No mountains of washing up! Highly recommended.
I have been following Eleanor on IG for a while and have made several of her dishes before the cookbook came out. I was thrilled to see so many new things to try and have already made about 6 of them. Her recipes are approachable, the dishes are delicious, and they make me feel like I can cook! Highly recommend.
If you love eating good home cooked food but can't be bothered to cook just for yourself, then this is the book for you. Using ingredients that are easy to find, then mixing, cooking and eating from the same pan or dish means a minimum of washing up. Every recipe I have tried so far has been delicious and have all turned out well which isn't always the case with many cookery books. Definitely recommend!
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Follow Eleanor on socials and knew I NEEDED this book immediately! SO glad I paid extra and had it shipped from the UK (to US). Eleanor's voice is loud and clear in every recipe. The pictures are beautiful, the instructions are perfectly clear, and I want to make EVERYTHING. I cannot recommend this book enough!
This is perfect, as far as influencer chefs go, I find this book refreshing in what has become a cohort of lauded influencers who really aren't doing much more than the bog standard meals most people make anyway, or making googled recipes and adding their own "flair". This book is different as it's your normal fare you'd likely make yourself, given a little bit of a twist to speed up the process / use less utensils / ingredients / food waste, in really creative and tasty ways, all perfectly portioned for one.
Great present! Bought this for my sister who cooks for one. She absolutely loved it finding it inspiring! So many great recipes to motivate and keep you cooking when it's just you eating!
Great present! Bought this for my sister who cooks for one. She absolutely loved it finding it inspiring! So many great recipes to motivate and keep you cooking when it's just you
Follow Eleanor on socials and knew I NEEDED this book immediately! SO glad I paid extra and had it shipped from the UK (to US). Eleanor's voice is loud and clear in every recipe. The pictures are beautiful, the instructions are perfectly clear, and I want to make EVERYTHING. I cannot recommend this book enough!
This recipe book is stunning and fulfils its role brilliantly in catering for individuals who want to eat delicious meals, but don't want to prepare family sized portions or devote their entire evening to cooking. Who'd believe you could make an entire roast for one person and only use one pan in the process! She is a genius and I couldn't recommend this book any more highly.
One of the best things about the book is that all the recipes are actually cooked in one pot - in a lot of other so-called books you still have to make your side dish in a separate pot. With these recipes, even if they include rice or pasta, it's all cooked together. No mountains of washing up!
This is the book I've been waiting for! I (very happily!) live alone, love to cook and read cookery books, but every recipe is for two people or more. This gorgeous book contains recipes perfectly proportioned for one person (and I'm always a very hungry one person!) which ensures more variety, less food waste, and pure, gluttonous joy.
It's so nice to finally have a recipe book that I can go to if I want a quick easy meal with minimal cleaning up required! Everything l've tried so far is delicious. And I salivate at the thought of everything in there!
Totally reignited my cooking mojo which had been MIA for a while. I'm going to buy my daughter a copy to take back to Uni too as everything is simple and delicious - perfect for a student!
Best cookbook for somebody single!
The fact I know I won't have loads to wash up really feels motivating and l've earmarked so many of the recipes already.
This book is like having all your favourite foods in one place with the added bonus of an old friend showing you the ropes. Congratulations Eleanor when can I pre-order the next one?