Creamy Shells with Roasted Asparagus, Goat Cheese & Yogurt

Craving something light, healthy, flavorful, quick, and satisfying? Try Shells with Roasted Asparagus, Goat Cheese, and Yogurt for dinner tonight — spring on a plate.

This pasta keeps running through my mind. It hits everything a good pasta should: tangy, creamy Greek yogurt; silky, rich goat cheese; roasted asparagus tossed in olive oil; bright parsley and green onions; and crunchy chile-oil toasted pine nuts. Best of all, it comes together in a flash. Shells with Roasted Asparagus, Goat Cheese, and Yogurt is my ideal spring dinner — light but filling, fresh but comforting.

When I make this, my husband and older sons enjoy it, but it also brings to mind meals with my siblings. I picture bowl after bowl of this pasta, laughter spilling over family stories. One memory that always makes us laugh happened when my stepmom and new siblings joined the summer community where my dad ran a camp. At a church meeting the pastor asked for prayer concerns and an eccentric villager read slowly from a list of people who had supposedly passed over the winter. He read several names when someone in the back called out, “Horace. I’m still alive!” The startled fellow checked his paper, looked at the living man, shook his head, and said, “Well, what do you know?” The pew-shaking laughter that followed is the kind of memory we pair with this pasta.

This dish is also a marvel of timing. Preheat the oven, toss asparagus with olive oil and salt, set a pot of water over high heat, and toast pine nuts in a little olive oil with a pinch each of red pepper flakes and smoked paprika. Roast the asparagus until tender with slightly crisp tips while the pasta cooks. Cut the asparagus into bite-sized pieces and chop the parsley and green onions. Drain the shells when al dente and combine them in a bowl with asparagus, green onions, parsley, crumbled goat cheese, Greek yogurt, and the fragrant pine nuts and oil. Toss to coat and serve warm or at room temperature. About thirty minutes yields a glorious pasta everyone will remember.

Are there family memories that always make you laugh? This recipe pairs perfectly with those stories.

Cook’s Notes

Use plain Greek yogurt for the best thick, clingy texture. Regular plain yogurt works in a pinch, but Greek yogurt gives the creamiest result.
If you don’t have smoked paprika, regular paprika is an acceptable substitute. Smoked paprika adds a subtle smoky depth, but plain paprika won’t break the dish.
Pine nuts are pricier than other nuts, but you only need a small amount and they add great flavor and texture. Consider splurging a little for them.
This pasta is delicious warm or at room temperature, making it ideal for picnics, potlucks, or packed lunches.

Shells with Roasted Asparagus, Goat Cheese, and Yogurt

Rebecca Lindamood

Ingredients

1 pound medium shell pasta
1 bunch asparagus
1/2 teaspoon plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon plus 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil plus 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/4 cup pine nuts
A pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
A pinch of smoked paprika
1/2 cup packed parsley leaves, roughly chopped
1 bunch green onions (about 6), trimmed and thinly sliced
2/3 cup crumbled goat cheese
2 cups plain Greek yogurt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F and set a large pot of water over high heat to boil.
Trim woody ends from asparagus, place on a rimmed baking sheet, and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Roast 10 minutes, or until tender with slightly crisp tips. Let cool until easy to handle.
While asparagus cools, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a small pan over medium heat with the pine nuts, red pepper flakes, and smoked paprika. Toast until fragrant, then transfer to a bowl to stop cooking.
Cut roasted asparagus into bite-sized pieces and add to a large mixing bowl.
Cook shell pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and add the pasta to the mixing bowl with the asparagus, toasted pine nuts and oil, green onions, parsley, crumbled goat cheese, and Greek yogurt. Toss to coat evenly. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Calculate nutrition using the specific ingredients you use if needed.