Shaved asparagus tossed in a skinny, lightened up garlic parmesan cream sauce makes a delicious low carb, gluten free, spring dish.
Asparagus Noodles. It’s a game changer. I can’t believe I haven’t had them until now because I am totally in love with them. I love zucchini noodles, so I can’t believe I hadn’t thought to make asparagus noodles.
About 2 months ago, I tasted asparagus noodles at a restaurant. I couldn’t believe it. The “noodles” are thinly shaved asparagus, which was so light and crisp. It completely transformed the asparagus.
I knew I had to try making my own. The asparagus is shaved into thin slices to make the pasta. It maintains its crispness after it’s cooked and doesn’t release nearly as much water as zucchini noodles, creating a great texture for any pasta dish.
I only wish there was an easier way to make the asparagus noodles. The only way I know how is by using a vegetable peeler. I tried using my spiralizer, but no luck. It’s not hard to shave down the asparagus, but it is a little time-consuming.
Still, it was worth the effort. I decided to toss the asparagus in a garlic cream sauce. The sauce tastes ultra-rich but it’s actually a skinny cream sauce.
Instead of using a ton of heavy cream, I used a little flour and butter to make a roux for thickening the sauce, and the rest is all fat-free milk and chicken stock. I love how the thick cream sauce coated the noodles.
Ingredients
- Thick asparagus spears
- Olive oil
- Unsalted butter
- All-purpose flour – or glutinous rice flour to make it gluten-free
- Fat-free milk
- Chicken stock
- Garlic clove
- Garlic powder
- Shredded parmesan cheese
How to Make Asparagus Noodles
First, remove the tough end of the asparagus. Use a vegetable peeler to shave off the outer layer of each spear.
Cut the tips of the asparagus off and set them aside. Thinly shave off strips of the asparagus to create long noodles. Once you’ve shaved off most of the stalk, switch to a knife to slice the remaining piece into thin strips.
Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the asparagus tips that you set aside and cook them until they’re about halfway cooked.
Add the asparagus noodles and cook them until they are crisp-tender. Drain the excess water from the pan and set it aside while you make the sauce.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the flour and whisk to form a thick smooth paste.
Whisk in milk and cook the sauce until it starts to thicken. Whisk in the chicken stock, garlic clove, and garlic powder.
Simmer the sauce until it’s thickened. Remove the garlic clove and discard it. If your sauce is too thick, you can thin it with a little more milk.
Mix in the cheese and then spoon the sauce over the asparagus noodles. Lightly toss to coat evenly and serve the noodles and sauce with more cheese sprinkled over the top.
Tips for the Best Results
Don’t overcook the asparagus. Cook it so it’s tender but still with a bit of bite – it shouldn’t be mushy.
Be sure to drain off any excess liquid from the pan after you cook the asparagus. If you don’t, it will thin the cream sauce.
I like to garnish this dish with extra cheese and ground black pepper. You could also garnish with some chopped parsley.
I think this dish is best when it’s made. Leftover asparagus noodles will get soggy if you refrigerate them and reheat them.
More Asparagus Recipe Ideas
Asparagus Noodles with Garlic Cream Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 lb fat/thick asparagus try to use the thick spears so you will have more flesh for making your noodles
- 1 tbsp olive oil
garlic cream sauce
- 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp all purpose flour or glutinous rice flour for a gluten-free version
- 1/4 - 1/2 cup fat free milk
- 1/4 cup chicken stock
- 1 garlic clove
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Trim off the tough ends and shave off the outer fibrous skin of your asparagus spears. Then, use a vegetable peeler and thinly shave your asparagus lengthwise to create asparagus noodles. I found the best method is to hold your asparagus down on the cutting board by the asparagus tip and then apply gentle pressure to your vegetable peeler while shaving across lengthwise to get thin asparagus noodles. (See photos above). At some point, you will no longer be able to shave it down any further. At this point, I used a sharp knife to try to get 1-2 extra more shavings. Make sure to snap off the thicker noodle from your asparagus tip and set tips aside.
- In a large skillet, add olive oil and bring to medium high heat. Add in asparagus tips and cook until about halfway done. Add in asparagus noodles and cook until just tender but still crispy. Turn off heat and drain any excess water released from asparagus.
- In a small saucepan, add butter and flour and whisk over low heat until it forms a smooth thick paste without any lumps. Add in 1/4 cup milk and whisk until smooth and thickened. Be sure to pause whisking for a little bit to allow the mixture to heat up enough to reach a simmer so that it can thicken. Add in 1/4 cup chicken stock, garlic clove and garlic powder and whisk until thickened and smooth (but allowing the garlic clove to remain whole). Again, make sure you allow the sauce to come to a simmer. If you feel the sauce is too thick, add a little more milk, 1 tbsp at a time and whisking until smooth every time. Keep in mind that sauce will thicken even more when cooled. When sauce reaches your desired thickness, remove the garlic clove (which you can discard) and add in cheese and whisk until smooth.
- Spoon sauce over asparagus immediately (while the sauce is still hot) and toss asparagus tips and noodles in the sauce. Sprinkle with additional cheese and ground pepper if desired before serving.
Notes
- Nutrition estimate includes 1/4 cup of fat free milk.
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
A tablespoon of all-purpose flour is NOT gluten free.
To make the sauce gluten free, you can substitute AP for glutinous rice flour/sweet rice flour. I’m sorry I didn’t make that clear in the recipe