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    Home » Recipes » Dinner Recipes

    Asparagus & Pancetta Baked Pasta

    Author: Amy Fulwood | Published: Aug 29, 2017 | Modified: Oct 3, 2024

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    This asparagus & pancetta baked pasta is a perfect family dinner which also makes great leftovers eaten cold the next day.

    This asparagus & pancetta baked pasta is a perfect family dinner which also makes great leftovers eaten cold the next day.

    I really wish I could be eating exclusively light summery food but alas the weather at the moment is complete rubbish.

    Seriously, we've had about four days of proper warmth and sunshine so far this year (it's even raining outside as I write this) and I need carbs and comfort food to keep me warm.

    This asparagus & pancetta baked pasta is a perfect family dinner which also makes great leftovers eaten cold the next day.

    Even so, ingredients like asparagus only turn up good this time of year so they must be used even if it is mixed in to hot, cheesy, gooey baked pasta.

    Ingredients you need to make this asparagus & pancetta baked pasta:

    • Asparagus Tips
    • Broccoli
    • Olive Oil
    • Leeks
    • Unsalted Butter
    • Milk
    • Ground Nutmeg
    • Plain Flour
    • Short Pasta
    • Cheddar
    • Pancetta
    • Panko Breadcrumbs

    Keep scrolling to get the full recipe for this asparagus & pancetta baked pasta...

    This asparagus & pancetta baked pasta is a perfect family dinner which also makes great leftovers eaten cold the next day.

    This asparagus & pancetta baked pasta recipe was inspired by a recipe from one of my new cookbooks (I've had many, many new cookbooks recently, a round up is imminent); As The Romans Do  by Eleonora Galasso.

    The one from the book is pretty similar to this but Eleonora's takes a little more time (which I'm sure benefits the flavour and eating experience).

    However, I decided to embark on making this on a weeknight after my first day at a new job so my desire to spend multiple hours in the kitchen was pretty much zero. So I figured I'd make a few adjustments to enable this to be made in less time while still keeping in all of that amazing flavour.

    This asparagus & pancetta baked pasta is a perfect family dinner which also makes great leftovers eaten cold the next day.

    I also added in some broccoli to supplement the asparagus because we didn't have as much as the recipe asked for. Also because broccoli is one of my favourite vegetables.

    In the end this took me about an hour to put together and does involve a little bit of multitasking to get the sauce, pasta and the leeks ready to go at the same time.

    Totally worth it though because once you've got it in the oven you can sit back for 20 minutes and chill before indulging in some delicious pasta goodness.

    This asparagus & pancetta baked pasta is a perfect family dinner which also makes great leftovers eaten cold the next day.

    More The Cook Report pasta recipes.

    Keep scrolling to get the recipe...

    WONDERING WHAT TO DO WITH THE LEFTOVER INGREDIENTS ONCE YOU'VE MADE THIS ASPARAGUS & PANCETTA BAKED PASTA?

    If you’re anything like me then you’re always looking for ways to save money and avoid food waste so I want to make sure you’ve get plenty of ideas on how to use up any ingredients that are leftover from my recipes!

    Garlic Pasta with Broccoli, Chickpeas & Chorizo

    This garlic pasta is a simple weeknight meal packed with garlicky flavour and topped with delicious roasted broccoli, crispy chickpeas and chorizo. Finished with a poached egg.

    Cashew Nut Curry with Halloumi & Broccoli

    Using halloumi in this creamy cashew nut curry makes a tasty change from a traditional curry. Sprinkle with a handful of whole cashews for an extra crunch.

    Recipe

    This asparagus & pancetta baked pasta is a perfect family dinner which also makes great leftovers eaten cold the next day.

    Asparagus & Pancetta Baked Pasta

    This asparagus & pancetta baked pasta is a perfect family dinner which also makes great leftovers.
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Italian
    Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 50 minutes minutes
    Servings: 6 servings
    Calories: 756kcal
    Author: Amy Fulwood

    Ingredients

    • 100 g Asparagus Tips chopped into 1cm chunks
    • ½ head Broccoli
    • 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
    • 2 Leeks trimmed and sliced
    • 100 g Unsalted Butter
    • 500 ml Milk
    • 1 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
    • 100 g Plain Flour
    • 400 g Short Pasta
    • 150 g Cheddar
    • 150 g Pancetta cubes
    • 3 tablespoon Panko Breadcumbs
    • Salt and Pepper
    UK Measures - US Measures

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Heat the olive oil over a medium heat and cook the leeks until softened. Remove from the heat and set aside.
    • Heat the milk in a small saucepan. In another saucepan melt the butter before adding the nutmeg and flour, stirring together to make a roux. Add a little salt before slowly beginning to pour in the warm milk, stirring constantly. Once the sauce is smooth and thick, bring to the boil briefly before removing from the heat.
    • Cook the pasta for about half the time it instructs on the packet. Place the drained, cooked pasta, leeks, sauce and half the broccoli and asparagus into a large bowl. Mix everything together before tipping into a large, greased baking dish. Scatter the rest of the broccoli and asparagus over the top of the pasta followed by the pancetta and the cheese.
    • Cook for 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove, sprinkle over the breadcrumbs and return to the oven for another 5 minutes until browned. Serve.
    Nutrition Facts
    Asparagus & Pancetta Baked Pasta
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 756 Calories from Fat 351
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 39g60%
    Saturated Fat 19g95%
    Cholesterol 85mg28%
    Sodium 389mg16%
    Potassium 604mg17%
    Carbohydrates 75g25%
    Fiber 4g16%
    Sugar 8g9%
    Protein 24g48%
    Vitamin A 1695IU34%
    Vitamin C 49.8mg60%
    Calcium 346mg35%
    Iron 3.3mg18%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Notes

    Did you make this recipe?

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    Did you make this recipe?Tag @amycookreport on Instagram and hashtag it #thecookreport!

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    Comments

    1. savor the best---Pat says

      September 02, 2017 at 2:47 pm

      5 stars
      Oh, yum! I love the flavor profile in this dish...pancetta and asparagus are both favorites! 🙂

      Reply
    2. Vicki Craig says

      August 30, 2017 at 5:32 pm

      I'll make this for dinner next week. If its anywhere near as good as the halloumi and cashew curry i made last night it'll be a huge hit. So glad I came across your recipes on Pinterest

      Reply
      • Amy says

        August 30, 2017 at 8:55 pm

        Thanks so much, so glad you liked the curry!

        Reply
    3. Veena Azmanov says

      August 30, 2017 at 12:41 pm

      5 stars
      This pasta looks so comforting. I love the combination and flavors. Sorry about the weather you facing. We had baking hot summer this year.

      Reply
    4. Kristen Chidsey says

      August 30, 2017 at 11:59 am

      What a hearty meal!! I absolutely love asparagus and pancetta together and you can't go wrong with pasta

      Reply
    5. Liz @ I Heart Vegetables says

      August 30, 2017 at 11:37 am

      5 stars
      I loooove baked pasta! We had baked macaroni and cheese last night! Love the asparagus, too!

      Reply
    6. Jagruti says

      August 30, 2017 at 10:07 am

      Pasta makes everything better, I love those veggies you have used in this dish..so yum!

      Reply
    7. Nicola @ Happy Healthy Motivated says

      August 30, 2017 at 10:00 am

      5 stars
      Sorry to hear about the rubbish weather you've had this summer. This pasta looks so snuggly and comforting that I think it could make anyone feel better!!

      Reply
    5 from 4 votes

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    Hey, I'm Amy Fulwood!

    Recipe creator and photographer here at TheCookReport.co.uk.

    Over here we’re all about delicious healthy recipes to fit around busy schedules and celebrating the joy that comes from an amazing meal.

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