Hello springtime! We’re celebrating with a bright asparagus pasta salad.
Lately I can’t stop thinking about pasta salads — maybe it’s a pregnancy craving, or maybe it’s because my favorite house pasta salad appears in Everyday Dinners. Pasta salads are endlessly useful: they make a great side for brunch, lunch or dinner and can be prepped ahead for busy days or special occasions.
Bring on the spring produce!
This asparagus pasta salad is perfect for an Easter brunch or a light weeknight meal. It’s versatile, stores well in the fridge, and only improves as the flavors meld.
I wasn’t always a fan of pasta salad as a child — those versions with cubes of salami or pepperoni never appealed to me. Making my own pasta salads with fresh ingredients and simple dressings changed everything. They’re also great to prepare for the week: most take about 30 minutes to make and keep for lunches or dinners.
Yum.
I’m thrilled asparagus season is here. I love roasting or quick-sautéing it — for this salad I quickly cook the spears in a skillet so they’re tender and easy to eat. Cut the asparagus into thirds and toss in a hot pan with olive oil, salt and pepper until bright green and slightly softened.
If you prefer, shave the asparagus thin with a vegetable peeler and skip cooking entirely. Shaved asparagus softens nicely as it marinates in the dressing and pairs beautifully with pasta.
There are plenty of ways to adapt this salad to what’s in your fridge.
The rest of the salad is simple: cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced green onions, cubed white cheddar or fontina, and a handful of fresh herbs like basil and parsley. These elements complement the honey mustard vinaigrette perfectly.
Oh yes!
This salad is tossed with a honey mustard vinaigrette — one of my favorite dressings. It has all the sweet-tangy mustard flavor without being overly creamy, and it stays bright and flavorful on pasta in the fridge. I love dunking bread in the extra dressing, and it’s sturdy enough to make ahead.
Feel free to customize: stir in arugula and peas or a little lemon zest for extra spring brightness, or swap cheeses and herbs to suit your taste. This salad is very forgiving and hard to get wrong.
Asparagus Pasta Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing
Asparagus Pasta Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing
Ingredients
pasta salad
- 1 pound pasta, cooked
- kosher salt and pepper
- 1 pound asparagus, woody stems removed and cut into thirds
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 4 green onions, thinly sliced
- 8 ounces white cheddar or fontina cheese, cubed
- ¼ cup chopped fresh herbs, like basil and parsley
honey mustard dressing
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed
- kosher salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
-
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions.
-
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the asparagus with a pinch of salt and pepper and cook, tossing often, until the asparagus is bright green and slightly softened. Turn off the heat.
-
In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta, asparagus, tomatoes, green onions and cubed cheese. Pour in the dressing and toss to combine. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Stir in the fresh herbs.
-
You can serve immediately or chill in the refrigerator. The salad will keep for 2 to 3 days; if making ahead, add the fresh herbs just before serving.
-
Enjoy!
honey mustard dressing
-
Whisk together the apple cider vinegar, honey, dijon mustard, garlic and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. While whisking, stream in the olive oil until the dressing emulsifies. The dressing can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days.
Did you make this recipe?
Be sure to follow @howsweeteats on instagram and tag #howsweeteats. You can also post a photo of your recipe to our facebook page.
I appreciate you so much!
Tastes like spring!