Asparagus Pasta Salad

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This Asparagus Pasta Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing is the perfect side dish for all of your springtime celebrations!

I think we can all agree that spring is the season to begin breaking out all of our bright and easy salad recipes along with our sandals and sundresses. This delicious Asparagus Pasta Salad makes good use of everyone’s favorite spring veggie, the superstar of April, fresh bright asparagus! Paired with pasta, cherry tomatoes, cubed cheese and fresh herbs, then mixed with an easy honey mustard dressing, your fresh asparagus will be the star of the show.

My kids were not fans of asparagus when they were younger, until I introduced it in this pasta salad. If your kids are anything like mine, they’re not big veggie lovers, let alone salad lovers! But kids love pasta, don’t they? And cheese cubes? Yes, please. This realization was a game-changer. And once they tried asparagus cut into bite-sized pieces, mixed with pasta and cheese cubes, with that yummy honey mustard dressing? Well let’s just say that this dish and its many variations are on regular rotation in our household.

This dish has become so popular with my family that I sometimes upgrade it from a side dish to the main course. Chop up some cooked chicken breast and add it to the salad for a light, wholesome warm-weather dinner. For extra protein with the meat, use chickpeas instead of chicken breast. Add a crusty loaf of French bread and butter and you have a quick and easy dinner.

I also like to mix up the pasta salad ingredients to keep things fresh. This Chickpea Pasta Salad is perfect for potlucks, and more substantial than one might think due to those hearty chickpeas tossed with grated parmesan cheese. How about a Greek Salad with pasta instead of lettuce? Give this Mediterranean Pasta Salad a try and you might find your kids requesting salad with dinner.

Let’s Talk Asparagus

April is the prime month for buying the freshest possible asparagus, making it the perfect ingredient to brighten up your dishes for all those spring celebrations like Easter, Mother’s Day and Graduation Parties. When buying, look for shades of purple in the tips and firm, bright green stalks of relatively equal lengths. When trimming, cut off and discard the white portions at the bottom of the stalks, as this part tends to become tough and stringy. Keeping the lengths uniform will help make an easier job of cutting your stalks into thirds.

Ingredients

1 pound pasta, such as rotini or penne
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into thirds
1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
4 green onions, thinly sliced
8 ounces white cheddar or fontina cheese, cubed
1/4 cup fresh herbs like basil and parsley, chopped
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

How to Make Asparagus Pasta Salad

Step 1: Cook pasta: Boil a pot of salted water and cook the pasta as per the package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process.

Step 2: Sauté asparagus: In a skillet over medium heat, warm a drizzle of olive oil and sauté the asparagus with a pinch of salt and pepper until bright green and tender.

Step 3: Combine salad: In a large mixing bowl, toss together the cooked pasta, sautéed asparagus, cherry tomatoes, green onions, and cheese cubes.

Step 4: Prepare dressing: Whisk together the apple cider vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, and olive oil in a small bowl until well combined.

Step 5: Dress salad: Pour the honey mustard dressing over the pasta mixture and toss until everything is evenly coated. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed.

Step 6: Add herbs and serve: Stir in the fresh herbs and serve the salad immediately, or chill in the refrigerator if preferred. The flavors meld beautifully over time.

FAQs & Tips

How to Make Ahead and Store?

You’ll be doing yourself two favors by making this pasta salad ahead of time, say the night before you plan to serve it. First, you’ll give the salad a night to marinate in the fridge and deepen all of those delicious flavors. Second, all you’ll need to do prior to setting it on the table to serve is to give it a good stir. Store the salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.

How long should I cook the pasta?

This is important because we don’t want mushy pasta in our pasta salad. To cook your pasta so that it remains firm to the bite, or al dente, 10-11 minutes will do the trick. Once the white center of the pasta disappears it will be ready. Next, give it a rinse under cold water to remove the excess starch.

What types of pasta can I use?

You have a lot of options for which pasta to use, and you’ll probably have at least one on hand in your pantry. I like to use fusilli (corkscrews) because my kids love it. Penne, farfalle (butterflies), and orecchiette (little ears) all work well for this pasta salad.

How do I make this dairy-free? Gluten-free?

This dish is exceptionally easy to make and friendly for any dietary restrictions. To make it dairy-free, simply omit the cheese cubes or sub in a non-dairy cheese. To make it gluten-free, just use one of the many gluten-free pasta options that can be found readily available in most pasta aisles.

Serving Suggestions

This pasta salad is so versatile when it comes to substitutions! If asparagus isn’t in season or you need something quick with ingredients on hand, go ahead and use fresh green beans or thawed frozen peas instead. The cheese cubes are another ingredient you can play around with. Cheddar is traditional for good reason – we all love it! But feel free to try cubed mozzarella or pepper jack for a twist.

Pair this Asparagus Pasta Salad with Sweet Tea Brined Chicken straight from the grill for a warm-weather gathering that will have everyone brushing off those winter blues.