Asparagus and Pasta Salad

My youngest son loves asparagus. It is one of the few green vegetables that he likes, so I am always experimenting with new ways to serve it. I decided to try it in a pasta salad, but I usually only put raw vegetables in my pasta salads and I knew that wouldn’t fly. Instead of sauteeing the asparagus as he prefers, I steamed it which was the perfect compromise.

I used a large pasta pot that has a steamer basket to steam the asparagus while cooking the pasta. This saved me time and meant I had one less pan to wash at the end of the day. You can see how easy this salad is to make in the video:

The dressing on this salad is not a traditional dressing that you would use on a garden salad.  It has a zesty lemon flavor that is intended to subtly enhance the flavors of the vegetables in the salad without overpowering them. These are the long-handled measuring spoons I use to measure honey and spices from the bottom of deep jars.

Asparagus and Pasta Salad Recipe

Ingredients:

• 16 oz. pasta (Use gluten-free rotini to make this gluten-free)
• 2 lbs. asparagus, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 – 16 oz. can olives, drained
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes
• 1 sweet pepper, diced

• ¼ cup lemon juice
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 2 – 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon basil
• ½ teaspoon thyme
• ¼ teaspoon rosemary
• pinch of salt
• dash pepper

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.
2. Steam asparagus for 6 – 8 minutes or until asparagus is tender. ( I use a pasta pot with a steamer basket).
3. While the pasta and asparagus are cooking, mix the dressing ingredients together in a large bowl.
4. When the pasta is al dente, drain the water and rinse the pasta under cold water until the pasta is cool. When the asparagus is fork tender, remove it and let it sit to cool.
5. Add the olives, tomatoes, and peppers to the bowl. Then add the asparagus and pasta. Toss to thoroughly coat the pasta and veetables with the dressing.
6. Chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Toss again before serving.

Printable Recipe for Asparagus and Pasta Salad

My daughter arrived home after a long day of school and work and was so hungry she dove into the salad while it was still warm. She was quite effusive in her praise, but starving college students are lavish in their praise of any home-cooked meal. I preferred the salad after it had chilled in the refrigerator and the flavors had time to mingle.

More Pasta Salad Recipes

Italian Pasta Salad with Grilled Pork

Meatless Ranch Pasta Salad Recipe

Southwest Ranch Tortellini Salad