Asparagus Pasta Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing
User Reviews
5
Asparagus Pasta Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing
Description
This salad features cooked pasta as a base with tender yet slightly crisp asparagus sautéed to preserve its vibrant green color. Cherry tomatoes and sliced green onions bring sweetness and mild sharpness, while cubed white cheddar cheese adds a creamy, savory element. Fresh basil and parsley herbs are included for a fresh herbal note.
The honey mustard dressing is a balanced blend of apple cider vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, finely minced garlic, salt, pepper, and extra virgin olive oil, whisked together to coat the salad ingredients evenly. The dressing imparts a bright, sweet-tart flavor that complements the vegetables and cheese.
The salad can be served immediately or chilled, with herbs best stirred in shortly before serving if kept refrigerated. It keeps in the fridge for 2 to 3 days and can be a convenient dish for potlucks, picnics, or as a light lunch or side.
Ingredients
pasta salad
- 1 pound pasta cooked
- salt kosher salt
- black pepper kosher salt
- 1 pound asparagus woody stems removed and cut into thirds
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes quartered
- 4 green onion thinly sliced
- 8 ounces White Cheddar Cheese cubed, or fontina cheese
- ¼ cup fresh herbs like basil and parsley, chopped
honey mustard dressing
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 garlic finely minced or pressed, cloves
- salt kosher salt
- black pepper kosher salt
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the directions.
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the asparagus with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, tossing often, until the asparagus is bright green in color and slightly softened (like as if you would eat it straight from the pan!), then turn off the heat.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta, the asparagus, tomatoes, green onions and cheddar cheese. Pour in the dressing and toss well to combine. Taste the pasta salad and add another pinch of salt and pepper if you find that it needs it (this will depend on how much you use for the boiling pasta, dressing and asparagus!). Stir in the fresh herbs.
- You can store this in the fridge now until serving, or you can serve it immediately. It will last in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. If you are making it a day or so ahead of time, I suggest tossing in the fresh herbs right before serving.
- Enjoy!
honey mustard dressing
- Whisk together the vinegar, honey, mustard, garlic and a big pinch of both salt and pepper. Stream in the olive oil while whisking until it’s emulsified. You can make this ahead of time and store in the fridge for 1 to 2 days!
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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