Lemon Asparagus Pasta Salad (Printable)

Tender pasta with crisp asparagus and bright lemon dressing, finished with fresh herbs.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta & Vegetables

01 - 8 oz short pasta (fusilli, penne, or farfalle)
02 - 10 oz fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion

→ Dressing

05 - Zest and juice of 1 large lemon
06 - 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
07 - 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
08 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
09 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
10 - 1/2 tsp salt
11 - 1/4 tsp ground black pepper

→ Fresh & Finishing

12 - 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
13 - 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. About 2 minutes before the pasta is done, add the asparagus to the boiling water with the pasta. Drain pasta and asparagus together and rinse briefly under cold water to stop the cooking process.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper until smooth and well combined.
03 - Add drained pasta and asparagus, cherry tomatoes, and red onion to the bowl with the dressing. Toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly with the dressing.
04 - Stir in fresh parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. Serve at room temperature or chilled, garnished with grated parmesan if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The dressing soaks right into the warm pasta, making every bite perfectly seasoned instead of just sitting on top
  • You can throw it together in under thirty minutes but it tastes like you planned it for days
02 -
  • The pasta continues to absorb the dressing as it sits, so make it a little more acidic than you think is necessary when you first toss it
  • Adding the asparagus directly to the pasta water saves time and infuses the vegetable with just enough starch to help the dressing cling
03 -
  • Save a little pasta water before draining to loosen the salad if it seems dry after chilling
  • Use a vegetable peeler to shave the asparagus into ribbons instead of cutting it for a more elegant presentation

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