One of my all-time favourite pasta dishes to make at home is Roasted Asparagus Carbonara — a simple yet deeply satisfying dish that adds a bit of springtime cheer to the traditional carbonara we all know and love.
Now, I’ll be the first to admit, I didn’t grow up making carbonara with roasted asparagus. But once I tried roasting those bright green spears and folding them into a creamy pasta dish, I was hooked. The asparagus brings a gentle, earthy sweetness and a tender bite that cuts beautifully through the richness of the sauce. Roasting them gives just enough char to deepen the flavour, without losing that fresh crunch that makes asparagus so delightful.
I like to add mushrooms too — usually chestnut or button mushrooms, but really any will do. They add a lovely savoury note, especially when sautéed until golden and slightly crisp at the edges. Together with the asparagus, they bring a garden-like quality to the plate, making the dish feel that little bit lighter without losing the indulgence you want from a carbonara.
Of course, no carbonara would be complete without bacon. I tend to go for smoked streaky bacon because it crisps up so nicely and adds that irresistible salty kick. When the little bacon bits are scattered through the pasta, they add both texture and a pop of flavour with every bite. If you’re feeling adventurous, pancetta works beautifully too.
To bring everything together, I rely on a few simple herbs — mainly thyme and parsley. Thyme is lovely for roasting with the vegetables, and parsley adds a bright, fresh finish at the end. You don’t need much, just a sprinkle here and there. A bit of garlic is essential too — not overpowering, just gently cooked to infuse everything with warmth.
The creaminess comes from a silky mix of eggs and cheese, stirred gently into the warm pasta until it thickens into that classic glossy carbonara sauce. I like to use a good grated Parmesan or Pecorino, whichever I have on hand.
What I love about roasted asparagus carbonara is that it feels fancy enough to serve for a dinner with friends, but it’s also quick enough for a cosy night in. It’s rustic, full of flavour, and uses everyday ingredients that you might already have in the fridge. Give it a go the next time you’re after a comforting meal with a touch of spring.
Roasted Asparagus Carbonara
Ingredients
- 300 g asparagus trimmed and cut into thirds
- 200 g mushrooms chestnut or button, sliced
- 150 g streaky bacon chopped
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 3 large eggs free range
- 50 g Parmesan grated or Pecorino cheese
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves ½ tsp dried
- 1/3 bunch fresh parsley chopped
- 350 g Fettuccine spaghetti or linguine
- Olive oil
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan)/400°F/Gas 6.
- Place the asparagus and mushrooms on a baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with thyme, and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 15–18 minutes until tender and lightly golden.300 g asparagus, 200 g mushrooms, 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, Olive oil, salt, black pepper
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta. In a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve about ½ cup of the pasta water before draining.350 g Fettuccine
- While the pasta cooks, fry the bacon in a large frying pan over medium heat until crispy. Add the chopped garlic and cook for another 1–2 minutes until fragrant but not browned. Turn off the heat.150 g streaky bacon, 2 cloves garlic
- In a bowl, whisk together the eggs and cheese with a generous pinch of black pepper.3 large eggs, black pepper, 50 g Parmesan
- Add the drained pasta to the bacon pan along with the roasted asparagus and mushrooms.
- Toss everything together. Let it cool slightly for 30 seconds to avoid scrambling the eggs.
- Quickly pour in the egg and cheese mixture, tossing everything together so the residual heat creates a silky sauce.
- Add a splash of reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce.
- Finish with chopped parsley and an extra grating of cheese, if you like.1/3 bunch fresh parsley
10 comments
Five stars from me. I’m not usually a fan of mushrooms, but roasting them brought out so much flavour. Lovely, simple ingredients done right.
The balance of salty bacon, creamy sauce, and fresh asparagus is just perfect. Bonus: hardly any washing up.
So comforting and easy to make.
Such a nice twist on a classic carbonara. The roasted veg gave it a bit of bite, and it didn’t feel heavy like some creamy pastas can.
Will be making this again.
Loved how easy this was to follow. I’m not very confident in the kitchen but it turned out really well.
I never thought to roast asparagus for pasta, but it adds such a lovely flavour.
Tried this for a midweek dinner and it was spot on.
This was a great way to use up what I had in the fridge. The bacon and mushrooms worked so well with the creamy sauce, and the asparagus gave it a bit of freshness.
I added a few chilli flakes too — perfect kick.