Meatless Monday: Caramelized Lemon Pasta with Asparagus and Halloumi

This week's Meatless Monday celebrates the deliciousness of pasta, melty cheese and the fresh flavors of lemon and asparagus. It's the perfect meal for this time of year when we still want the comfort of hearty foods to battle the winter blues, but are longing for fresh spring flavors that await us shortly

This dish feels light and refreshing thanks to the caramelized lemon and fresh asparagus. Caramelized lemon remains tart yet is more complex than its raw form. It's an easy way to take your meal up a notch.

For those wondering what halloumi is, let me introduce you to one of my favorite cheeses. Halloumi is a salty, firm, white cheese that has a high melting point. That means you can fry or grill it and it will keep its shape and become just a touch gooey inside. Fair warning, once you try it, you may become as obsessed as I am!

This recipe takes a short amount of time, but several things cook at once so try to prep everything ahead of time. Find more vegetarian and dessert recipes on my blog!

Caramelized Lemon Pasta with Asparagus and Halloumi
Serves 4 - 6

Ingredients

• 1 pound spaghetti (dried or fresh)
• 1 bunch asparagus, woody ends trimmed
• 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 8 cups fresh spinach
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 5 tablespoons water
• 2 - 3 medium lemons, halved
• 8 ounces halloumi
• 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
• Salt and pepper, for seasoning

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and boil a large pot of salted water. Cut the halloumi in half from the long side then slice the halves into 1/2 inch slices from the short side
2. Place the asparagus spears on the prepared baking sheet. Pour over 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, sprinkle on parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper. Toss to evenly coat. Cook for 9 - 11 minutes until tender-crisp
3. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al-dente. Drain
4. To caramelize the lemons, add a drizzle of olive oil (enough to coat the pan) to a large skillet over medium heat. Place the lemons cut side down and cook for 6 - 8 minutes. The cut side should be browned when taken off the heat. Let the lemons cool enough to safely handle. Squeeze the juice through a strainer into a liquid measuring cup and set aside
5. To cook the spinach, add 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil to a large skillet over medium low heat. When warm, add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for 1 - 2 minutes until softened and fragrant. Add the spinach and toss coat with the garlic and oil. Add 5 tablespoons water, raise the heat to medium and cover. Cook for approximately 3 - 4 minutes, or until wilted. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a large bowl and wipe the pan clean
6. Place the large skillet over medium heat and add the halloumi slices to the dry pan. Cook until the liquid released from the cheese has cooked out of the pan and the bottom is browned. Flip and cook another couple minutes until the top browns
7. Add the drained pasta and cheese to the bowl with the spinach. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons lemon juice to the bowl and toss to coat. Taste and add more lemon if desired and season with salt and pepper. Plate and top with the asparagus, pine nuts and additional parmesan cheese, if desired.