Fusilli with Spring Vegetables and Breadcrumbs Recipe

Name: Fusilli with Spring Vegetables and Breadcrumbs
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: For the crumb topping:; 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs; 1/2 cup slivered almonds; 1 garlic clove, pressed; 1 tablespoon unsalted butter; 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt; For the pasta:; 1 pound fusilli or spiral other pasta; 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces; 1/2 cup frozen peas; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter; 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest; 1 (4-ounce) package baby spinach (about 4 cups packed), chopped; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 (8-ounce) tub mascarpone cheese (1/2 cup)

If you crave a creamy pasta recipe but don’t want to make a time-consuming sauce, try this absurdly easy, veggie-rich fusilli. You’ll cook the asparagus and peas with the pasta, then melt mascarpone in the same pot to coat the pasta with creamy richness. Crunchy buttered crumbs with toasted almonds bits make it irresistible.

Primavera, Pronto

If you’ve ever made pasta primavera, you know it can involve making a bechamel, and/or blanching all the vegetables separately, making it too time-consuming for a weeknight. In this luscious fusilli recipe, asparagus, baby spinach, and peas capture the “primavera” of spring, without all the steps. A tub of mascarpone coats everything with a light, creamy sauce requiring almost no effort.

Bowl of Fusilli With Spring Vegetables and Breadcrumbs Next to a Glass, a Bowl of Breadcrumbs, and a Another Bowl of Pasta — Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

Crunchy, Buttery Breadcrumb Topping

If the thought of adding bread to pasta sounds strange to you, hear me out. Using stale bread to make crumbs is old-school frugal, and delivers tons of crunch. By pan-toasting fresh crumbs in butter with chopped almonds and garlic, you’ll create a crispy, savory topping that harkens to the crumbs baked on top of macaroni and cheese. If you don’t have bread to use up, you can always use panko, too.

How To Make Homemade Breadcrumbs

Curly Pasta Cradles Tender Veggies

Fusilli or rotini are the curly spirals designed to wind around bits of veggies and trap sauce. You can sub cavatappi or gemelli if you have some in the cupboard already.

Frozen peas can go straight to the colander, awaiting a hot bath when you drain the pasta, and asparagus just joins the pasta in the pot for the last 2 minutes. Spinach wilts in melted butter in the hot pasta pot, giving you a trio of green veggies with your pasta.

Low-Effort, High-Reward Pastas

Fusilli with Spring Vegetables and Breadcrumbs

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Total Time 30 mins

Servings 4 to 6 servings

Yield 10 cups

Keep the mascarpone in the refrigerator until time to use it, and warm it in the pan just until melted.

For the crumb topping:

1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

For the pasta:

1 pound fusilli or other spiral pasta
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup frozen peas
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
1 (4-ounce) package baby spinach (about 4 cups packed), chopped
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 (8-ounce) tub mascarpone cheese

Make the crumb topping:

If using fresh bread, cut the crusts off and cube the bread, then place in a food processor bowl and pulse to make crumbs. You'll need 1 cup.

In the same processor, pulse the almonds into chunks under 1/4 inch (alternately, chop them by hand).

In a large skillet, warm the butter over medium heat. When it’s melted, add the crumbs, almonds, garlic, and salt. Stir well to mix as the ingredients get hot. Cook, stirring frequently, for until golden and fragrant, about 4-6 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and reserve.

Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek
Cook the pasta, asparagus, and peas:

Put on a large pot of salted water for boiling the pasta. Meanwhile, prep the asparagus and reserve.

When the water boils, add the pasta and cook according to the package directions, adding the asparagus to the pot for the last 2 minutes.

While the pasta cooks, place the peas in a large colander and place it in the sink. When the pasta is done, pour the boiling water and pasta over the peas in the colander, draining the hot pasta on top of them.

Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek
Make the sauce:

While the pasta drains, melt the butter in the same pot over medium heat. Add the lemon zest and spinach and saute just until the spinach wilts, about 2 minutes.

Add the mascarpone to the spinach and stir just until creamy-don't let it melt and separate.

Add the drained pasta and veggies to the pot, and turn and toss to coat the pasta evenly.

Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek
Serve:

Sprinkle with the toasted breadcrumbs and serve.

Refrigerate leftover pasta for up to 4 days, tightly covered. Keep leftover breadcrumbs in their own container.

Love the recipe? Leave us stars and a comment below!

Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
488	Calories
27g	Fat
44g	Carbs
20g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories	488
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 27g	34%
Saturated Fat 13g	64%
Cholesterol 59mg	20%
Sodium 579mg	25%
Total Carbohydrate 44g	16%
Dietary Fiber 5g	18%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 20g
Vitamin C 11mg	56%
Calcium 367mg	28%
Iron 3mg	18%
Potassium 392mg	8%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.