Asparagus Pasta Salad
A refreshing and creamy pasta salad featuring asparagus, peas, and a zesty lemon ricotta dressing.
Equipment
- small bowl or jar
- pot
- large pot
- large bowl
Ingredients
- 1 pound short-cut pasta (e.g., rotini, fusilli, penne, farfalle)
- 1 pound fresh asparagus ends trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup frozen peas or fresh peas
- 1 cup radish halved and thinly sliced
- ¼ cup fresh parsley roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill finely chopped
- ¼ cup ricotta cheese can substitute with cottage cheese, sour cream, or plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup olive oil can substitute with avocado oil
- 1 clove garlic finely minced or grated
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice can substitute with lemon juice concentrate or red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest optional if using lemon juice concentrate
- ½ teaspoon salt plus additional to taste
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Whisk together the ricotta, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt to make the dressing.
- Trim and chop the asparagus, and slice the radishes.
- Boil water, cook asparagus for 2 minutes, then add peas and cook for 1 more minute; cool in ice water.
- In salted boiling water, cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente.
- Drain pasta and rinse under cold water.
- Combine pasta, asparagus, peas, radish, parsley, and dill in a bowl; toss with dressing and adjust seasoning.
- Serve immediately or store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
For fresh peas, use 1 cup and add them to the pot after the asparagus has cooked for 1 minute. To make gluten-free, substitute with gluten-free pasta or white beans. For a dairy-free option, replace ricotta cheese with soft tofu.