Asparagus, egg and pecorino sauce
Not a carbonara, but kind of. This sauce uses the same principles of a carbonara in that the sauce itself is made up of egg and pecorino, combined with the magic properties of starchy pasta water to create a wonderful, silky smooth emulsion. Instead of guanciale we’re utilising the mighty asparagus which is right in season here in the UK at the moment, which is where I’m currently staying for a short while visiting family.
The method is very similar to my classic Roman-style carbonara recipe, however the egg mix is a little different to create a lighter sauce – just one extra yolk for the pot, a whole egg per person and the traditional pecorino Romano has been replaced with a less mature, softer pecorino del monte (which is very similar to manchego in both taste and texture).
You can use any short pasta shape for this one, but I think rigatoni or mezze maniche work best (I had these verde ones from the markets that worked nicely, though not essential!). This is a really quick and easy dish, if you’re using fresh pasta you can throw that on while the asparagus cooks, but if you’re using dry pasta start with cooking that and tackle the sauce in the final 5 minutes.
This is a fantastic vegetable-forward pasta dish that makes excellent use of in season asparagus.
Why you’ll love this asparagus, egg and pecorino pasta
- A lighter take on carbonara – swapping heavy cured meats for crisp, seasonal asparagus and using a milder cheese results in a beautifully balanced, vibrant plate of pasta.
- Super fast and low-fuss – this whole dish comes together in about 20 minutes, making it the perfect quick weeknight dinner that still feels like a restaurant-quality meal.
- Vibrant and vegetable-forward – it’s a fantastic way to embrace seasonal spring produce while keeping the rich, velvety comfort of an egg-based sauce.
- Mastering the emulsion – learning how to build a glossy sauce with nothing but eggs, cheese, and starchy pasta water is a foundational kitchen skill you’ll use forever.
Ingredients you’ll need to make this dish
- Rigatoni – or any short pasta shape with good ridges (like mezze maniche) to catch and hold onto that silky sauce.
- Eggs & an extra yolk – using whole eggs combined with just one extra yolk creates a lighter, less heavy sauce than a traditional all-yolk carbonara base.
- Pecorino del monte – this is a fresco (young) cheese that’s milder and softer than a classic pecorino Romano. If you can’t find it, Manchego makes an excellent 1:1 substitute.
- Asparagus – one fresh bunch, with the woody ends snapped off. We cut the stalks into small rounds, while keeping the spears intact for texture.
- Garlic & EVOO – thinly sliced garlic gently sizzled in good quality extra virgin olive oil creates adds a gorgeous garlicky hum for the entire dish.
How to make this seasonal asparagus pasta
1. Prep your egg base
In a mixing bowl, whisk together your whole eggs, the extra egg yolk, the finely grated pecorino del monte, and a very generous amount of freshly cracked black pepper. Set this aside.
2. Sizzle the garlic and asparagus
Heat your extra virgin olive oil over a low-medium heat in a large sauté pan. Add the thinly sliced garlic, stirring frequently until it’s just about to crisp up but hasn’t browned. Toss in your prepared asparagus stalks and spears with a pinch of salt, and cook for a few minutes until they are fork-tender.
3. Combine off the heat
Drop your al dente pasta straight into the sauté pan with the asparagus, making sure to reserve some of the pasta water. Remove the pan entirely from the heat source.
4. Temper and toss
Add a good splash of your hot pasta water directly into your egg and cheese bowl, whisking immediately to temper the eggs so they don’t scramble. Pour this tempered egg mixture over the warm pasta and immediately start shaking, tossing, and agitating the pan to build your glossy emulsion.
5. Thicken and serve
If the sauce needs to thicken up a bit more, place the pan back over a very low heat, tossing constantly until it reaches your desired consistency. If it gets too thick, loosen it back up with another tiny splash of pasta water. Serve immediately!
Tips and tricks and substitutions for this recipe
- Manage your heat – just like a classic carbonara, the most challenging part is not scrambling the eggs. Use the hot pasta water to temper the eggs, and always take the pan completely off the heat before adding the egg mixture, using the residual heat of the pasta and pan to help emulsify the sauce until it’s stable. Then you can reintroduce heat.
- Cheese swaps – if you can’t track down a young pecorino del monte or a block of manchego, a mild, young Asiago or even a Grana Padano would also work beautifully.
- Don’t throw away the water – pasta water is liquid gold. The starch acts as a natural binder and transforms raw egg and cheese into a cohesive, velvety sauce rather than a clumpy mess.
- Dry vs. fresh pasta – if you are using fresh pasta, remember it cooks in just 2-3 minutes. Start cooking your asparagus first, then drop the pasta into the boiling water right at the end so everything finishes at the same time. If you’re using dry pasta, start this first and finish the sauce in the final 5 minutes.
Asparagus, egg and pecorino sauce
Ingredients
- 200 g rigatoni
- 2 whole eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- 80 g pecorino del monte this is more of a fresco cheese, milder and softer than pecorino Romano. A good 1:1 substitute would be manchego
- 2 tbsp EVOO
- 2-3 garlic cloves thinly sliced
- 1 bunch of asparagus (approx 12 stalks) woody ends removed, stalks cut into small rounds and spears left intact
Instructions
- Combine the eggs, cheese and a good amount of black pepper in a bowl and set aside.
- Heat the olive oil over a low-medium heat in a large sauté pan and add the garlic. Stir frequently and allow it to almost crisp (but not burn), before adding the asparagus. Add a pinch of salt and then let it gently cook away until fork tender – a few minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add your al dente pasta, reserving the pasta water.
- Add a good splash of pasta water to the eggs to temper the mixture and immediately stir to combine. Then (while the pan is still off heat), pour the egg mixture over the pasta and quick toss and agitate the pan to emulsify and form the sauce.
- You can then add the pan back over a low heat and continue cooking to thicken up the sauce to your desired consistency. Of course if you take it too far you can always add a splash of pasta water to loosen again.
- Serve immediately.
