Growing up in an Italian family, Sunday was the day for pasta. We sometimes had pasta on other nights, too, but there was no getting around it on Sundays. I consider my recipe for Pasta with Asparagus and Pancetta to be “simmered in tradition,” as it makes me think back to those family meals I enjoyed, gathered around a big table.
My parents were exceptional gardeners, and their garden always produced lots and lots of amazing tomatoes. Most of those tomatoes would get canned by my mom and made into sauce, and that sauce was later used for almost all our pasta dishes. They grew asparagus, too, ready to enjoy during the spring.
I’m pretty sure the thought to pick up a jar of tomato or pasta sauce at the grocery store never crossed my mom’s mind! She had her own supply in the basement that she could easily reach for. But times change, and not so many of us are able to plant our own gardens, can veggies, or maybe even have time to always make pasta sauce from scratch. That’s when having a flavorful, prepared jar of pasta sauce comes in handy.
Ragu has a new line of pasta sauces called Homestyle. The Homestyle sauces are super thick and super flavorful as a result of using a combination of vine-ripened tomatoes, onions, and fragrant herbs. What these sauces don’t include are artificial flavors, colors, or high fructose corn syrup.
Growing up on homemade Italian food, sometimes it’s hard for me to find just the right products that offer quality ingredients and great taste. The Ragu Homestyle sauces definitely make the cut. These sauces (I used Homestyle Thick and Hearty Traditional sauce for this recipe for Pasta with Asparagus and Pancetta) are perfect for pasta – they find any and all twists and curves of the pasta and fill them with sauce for a rich taste in each forkful.
Pasta with Asparagus and Pancetta is a dish that can be made quickly, and that can deliver a wonderful meal to enjoy with family and friends.
Check out the new Ragu Homestyle sauces — they’re perfect for a dish like this and so many others!
Thank you, readers, for supporting the brands I love!
Serves 4
This is a wonderful and hearty dish to serve for any meal!
Save RecipeIngredients
- 1 (16-ounce) jar Ragu Homestyle Thick and Hearty Traditional Pasta Sauce
- 8 ounces favorite pasta (I used a medium-sized curly pasta)
- 2 ounces pancetta
- 1 small bunch asparagus, ends trimmed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 cup white onion, diced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Grated Parmesan cheese as garnish
Instructions
- Blanch the asparagus by adding it to boiling water, then removing it after a few minutes, or when it turns bright green. Transfer the asparagus to a bowl of ice water to stop it from cooking. Reserve the cooking water. Drain the asparagus from the ice water, then slice it into 2-inch pieces. Set aside.
- Use the reserved water from the asparagus to cook the pasta. Bring to a boil, and cook the pasta according to the package directions.
- As the pasta cooks, add the olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for two minutes, then add the pancetta and cook for a minute. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds more.
- Add the sauce to the skillet along with the salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes, and reduce the heat to low. Add the asparagus pieces and stir to combine.
- When the pasta is finished cooking, drain it, then add it to the skillet with the sauce. Toss to combine.
- Serve warm garnished with grated Parmesan cheese.
Notes
Reserve the water you use to cook the asparagus, to cook your pasta. This add some nutrients and flavor to the dish!
Nutrition
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