Lemon Asparagus Pasta Salad
A refreshing and nutritious lemon asparagus pasta salad, perfect for a light meal or side dish.
Equipment
- large bowl
- pot
- whisk
Ingredients
- 1 lb asparagus hard stems removed and cut into 2-inch lengths
- 8 ounces garbanzo bean pasta
- 2 cups spinach loosely packed
- ½ cup basil loosely packed, chopped
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons minced tarragon
- 1 lemon zest of 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Whisk together all dressing ingredients until well combined and set aside.
- Prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl with cold water and ice.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add asparagus, and cook for 1-2 minutes until tender but still crisp; transfer to the ice bath for 5 minutes, then drain.
- In the same boiling water, cook the pasta according to package instructions.
- Combine the cooked pasta with asparagus, spinach, basil, and dressing; toss to mix well and serve immediately or refrigerate to cool.
Notes
This salad can be served warm or chilled. Using garbanzo bean pasta helps maintain a softer texture when stored in the fridge, unlike brown rice pasta which may harden.