By Mayo Clinic Staff

Dietitian's tip:

Olive oil used in place of other fats can lower your risk of heart disease by reducing your blood cholesterol level.

To make this plant based, leave out cheese.

Number of servings

Serves 2
  1. Diabetes meal plan
  2. DASH diet
  3. Heart-healthy
  4. Weight management
  5. Plant-based
  6. Meatless
  7. Healthy-carb
  8. High-fiber

Ingredients

  1. 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  2. 6 asparagus spears
  3. 4 ounces dried whole-grain vermicelli
  4. 1 medium tomato, chopped
  5. 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  6. 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
  7. 4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan, divided
  8. 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste

Directions

Add 1 teaspoon of the olive oil to a skillet. Saute asparagus over medium-high heat until lightly browned and tender-crisp. Remove from pan and allow to cool. Cut into 1-inch pieces.

Fill a large pot 3/4 full with water and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until tender (al dente), 10 to 12 minutes, or according to the package directions. Drain the pasta thoroughly.

Put the pasta into a large bowl. Drizzle the remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil over the pasta and toss gently. Add the tomato, garlic, basil, asparagus, and 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan. Toss to mix evenly.

Divide the pasta between individual plates. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon Parmesan and black pepper, as desired. Serve immediately.

Nutritional analysis per serving

Serving size: About 1 cup pasta with vegetables

  • Total carbohydrate 48 g
  • Dietary fiber 8 g
  • Sodium 160 mg
  • Saturated fat 2 g
  • Total fat 9 g
  • Trans fat 0 g
  • Cholesterol 9 mg
  • Protein 13 g
  • Monounsaturated fat 4 g
  • Calories 325
  • Total sugars 3 g
  • Added sugars 0 g
Aug. 02, 2022