Brown Butter Chervil Pasta with Asparagus, Leeks & Jammy Eggs
Silky spring pasta with herbs, vegetables, and jammy eggs.
Category
Main Course
Prep
15 minutes
Cook
20 minutes
Style
American
Technique
Boiling
Diet Friendly
Vegetarian
Daily recipe · April 05, 2026
A little about this dish
This spring pasta leans American in spirit but feels fresh and unexpected: silky noodles, sweet seared leeks, asparagus, browned butter, lemon, and a shower of soft herbs led by delicate chervil. Toasted hazelnuts add crunch, while a jammy egg gives the sauce extra gloss without feeling heavy. It’s seasonal, elegant, and built to look stunning in the bowl.
Ingredients (for 2)
- Chervil — 1/2 cup — leaves and tender sprigs only, loosely packed
- Fettuccine or tagliatelle — 6 oz
- Asparagus — 8 oz — trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
- Leek — 1 medium — white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced, and well rinsed
- Large eggs — 2
- Unsalted butter — 4 tbsp — divided
- Hazelnuts — 1/4 cup — roughly chopped
- Parmesan cheese — 1/3 cup — finely grated, plus extra shaved for serving
- Lemon — 1 — zest finely grated and 2 tsp juice
- Small garlic clove — 1 — very finely grated
- Red pepper flakes — 1/4 tsp
- Black pepper — 1/2 tsp — freshly cracked, plus more to finish
- Olive oil — 1 tbsp
- Kosher salt — to taste
Preparation
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Step 1 — 🥚💧⏲️Bring a medium pot of well-salted water to a boil. Gently add the eggs and cook for 7 minutes for jammy centers. Transfer them right away to ice water, then return the water to a boil for the pasta.
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Step 2 — 🌰🔥🥄In a large skillet over medium heat, toast the chopped hazelnuts for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant. Transfer to a small bowl.
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Step 3 — 🧈🫒🧅Add 1 tablespoon butter and the olive oil to the skillet. Add the sliced leek with a pinch of kosher salt and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and lightly golden.
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Step 4 — 🥬🧄🌶️Add the asparagus and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until bright green and just tender. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds. Transfer the vegetables to a plate.
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Step 5 — 🍝💦🍴Cook the fettuccine or tagliatelle in the boiling water until just shy of al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain.
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Step 6 — 🧈🍋⚫Wipe out the skillet if needed. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons butter and cook over medium heat until golden and nutty, about 2 minutes. Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and black pepper.
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Step 7 — 🍝🥦✨Return the cooked vegetables to the skillet. Add the drained pasta and a splash of pasta water. Toss over low heat until glossy.
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Step 8 — 🧀🌿🥣Add the grated Parmesan and half of the chervil. Toss well, adding more pasta water as needed until the sauce lightly coats the noodles. Taste and adjust with kosher salt.
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Step 9 — 🥚🔪👌Peel the cooked eggs and cut them in half.
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Step 10 — 🍽️🌰🌿Divide the pasta between two bowls. Top with the egg halves, toasted hazelnuts, remaining chervil, extra shaved Parmesan, and more freshly cracked black pepper.
A final fox tip
If chervil is hard to find, use a mix of parsley and a tiny pinch of tarragon, but chervil’s gentle anise note is especially beautiful here. For extra drama, top with edible flowers or a few raw asparagus ribbons. Kids can help zest the lemon, peel the eggs, and scatter the herb garnish.