Cook pasta in accordance with the package instructions and reserve 200 ml of the pasta water before draining.

Trim asparagus by cutting or snapping off the hard and woody ends. If they are thick with tough skin, also peel the lower part with a vegetable peeler.

Slice the asparagus in thin rounds leaving the top spear (around 4-5 cm / 2”) and slice the top spears in half lengthwise (if thick). Keep the rounds and top parts separated.

Heat olive oil in a pan, add the top parts of the asparagus, season with salt and pepper. Stir-fry until a little browned but still green and crunchy. Transfer to a plate.

Add more oil to the pan if needed, add the onion and sauté over medium heat until translucent, then add the garlic and the sliced asparagus rounds. Fry for 1-2 minutes.

Add the cream, za’atar, 2 tablespoons of vegan parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper, stir well and simmer over medium heat for a couple of minutes. Add lemon juice and the rest of the vegan parmesan cheese, stir. Adjust flavors to your liking with more lemon, za’atar, salt & pepper. Avoid adding too much salt until you mix in the pasta water as it’s also salty.

Mix the sauce with the drained pasta, stir well and wait a minute until the pasta absorbs the sauce, add a little pasta water at a time while stirring if needed to make it saucier.

Top with the seared asparagus, lemon zest, thyme, vegan parmesan, a little za’atar, and freshly ground black pepper before serving.