Asparagus Pasta Salad
A bright spring-summer pasta salad with crisp-tender asparagus, juicy cherry tomatoes, and a lemon-Dijon vinaigrette. Perfect cold or at room temp for potlucks, picnics, or easy lunches—totally customizable and halal-friendly.
Ingredients
- 8 oz rotini or penne pasta
- 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1–2 inch pieces
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced (rinse to mellow, optional)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (halal-friendly acid)
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley or basil, chopped
- 1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled (halal-friendly, optional)
- 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts or walnuts (optional)
- salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente.
- In the last 2–3 minutes of pasta cooking, add the asparagus to the same pot. Drain both together and rinse briefly under cold water to stop cooking. Shake off excess water.
- In a large bowl, whisk olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, Dijon, garlic, a pinch of salt, and pepper to make the vinaigrette.
- Add the pasta and asparagus to the bowl while slightly warm and toss to coat.
- Fold in cherry tomatoes, red onion, and fresh herbs. Add feta and nuts if using. Toss gently and taste; adjust salt, pepper, or lemon.
- Serve right away at room temperature or chill 20–30 minutes for a colder salad. Toss again before serving.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cupCalories: 270kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 9gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 220mgFiber: 3gSugar: 3g
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