Asparagus and Peas Pasta Salad
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This fresh Asparagus and Peas Pasta Salad is the perfect side dish to take to any potluck, or for any busy weeknight meal. It’s loaded with healthy green vegetables and covered in the most delectable and creamy homemade dressing that everyone will rave about.
Asparagus and Peas Pasta Salad
This is one of the very best pasta salads to make for a crowd, it will literally go with almost anything. Of course, its irresistible taste doesn’t hurt either! What a great accompaniment with air fryer chicken, roast beef, burgers, or BBQ chicken skewers.
- Great Summer Salad
- Versatile
- Crowd Pleaser
- Quick and Easy to Make
Cold pasta salads are one of the most versatile dishes out there, whether for a large gathering, or for a family dinner. If you want to sneak in more veggies for your kids, add some broccoli, mushrooms, spinach or bell peppers. I’ve even added some fresh dill to change up the flavor profile a bit, or try using crispy bacon pieces to elevate this salad to another level. To make this side dish a complete meal, simply add some cut up chicken or beef to the pasta, and pair it with a wonderful piece of fresh bread.
Ingredient Notes
- Pasta – I use bowtie pasta but any small pasta will do. Make sure to rinse your pasta well with cold water after you strain it. This will cool it down to an appropriate temperature for the salad, and also prevent the noodles from sticking together and further cooking.
- Peas – Frozen or fresh peas work well.
- Asparagus – Use fresh asparagus trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces.
- Bocconcini – Baby bocconcini is preferred, or you can use regular bocconcini cut into smaller pieces. Even fresh mozzarella will work.
- Cheese – Fresh parmesan is best, and grated.
- Buttermilk – I use plain buttermilk.
- Mayonnaise – Regular mayonnaise, but the light version works well too. This will add a nice creaminess to the salad.
- Vinegar – Use white wine vinegar which adds a nice tang that balances out the richness of the dressing. In addition, the acid in the vinegar help make the noodles more absorbent so they’ll really soak up the flavor from the dressing.
- Garlic – Add fresh minced garlic to give your salad some great flavour.
How To Make Asparagus and Peas Pasta Salad
- Cook the pasta: Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Drain and rinse well with cold water.
- Blanch the veggies: Fill a pot with water and bring to a boil or use the same pot with pasta water. Set up another bowl with ice water. Add the asparagus pieces and frozen peas to the boiling water and cook for 2 minutes until crisp-tender. Drain and transfer the veggies to the ice bath to stop them from cooking. Drain well.
- Make the dressing: In a medium bowl whisk all the dressing ingredients together.
- Combine everything: In a large bowl, combine the pasta, veggies, bocconcini and the dressing. Toss well. Stir in half the Parmesan cheese and reserve the other half for serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
What part of asparagus do you eat?
You can eat the whole spear except for the woody stem towards the bottom. Hold the asparagus spear on each end firmly. Gently bend the asparagus so that it bows out away from you. Keep bending until the asparagus snaps.
Is it better to make pasta salad the day before?
While it will stay good for a couple days, it’s best to make pasta salad the day of or the day before you plan to serve it.
What goes with cold pasta salad?
Just about anything will go well with a pasta salad. Hamburgers, chicken or sandwiches are only a few suggestions.
Do frozen peas really need to be cooked for a salad?
Frozen peas don’t really need to be cooked before making green pea salad. That’s because anytime you buy frozen vegetables, they’ve already been blanched. Simply run the peas under cold water to allow them to defrost.
Tips
- I always rinse pasta when making a cold pasta salad as it will help to cool it down and stop the cooking process.
- Add a protein such as chicken, bacon or beef to the salad to make it a complete meal.
- Feel free to add more veggies to the salad, such broccoli, mushrooms, spinach or bell peppers.
Leftovers
Pasta salad can be refrigerated for 3 to 4 days. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, or store in an airtight container to maximize freshness.
Freezing
I would not recommend freezing this recipe because as the veggies and pasta thaw, they will become soggy and will fall apart. This is a recipe best enjoyed fresh!
More Great Recipes To Try
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Asparagus and Peas Pasta Salad
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Ingredients
- 1 pound pasta (uncooked (penne, bowtie, rotini, etc.))
- 2 cups frozen peas (or fresh)
- 1 pound asparagus (trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces)
- 2 cups baby bocconcini (or mozzarella cut into small pieces)
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese (freshly grated)
Dressing
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 clove garlic (minced or grated)
- 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 1 teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Drain and rinse well with cold water.
- Blanch the veggies: Fill a pot with water and bring to a boil or use the same pot with pasta water. Set up another bowl with ice water. Add the asparagus pieces and frozen peas to the boiling water and cook for 2 minutes until crisp-tender. Drain and transfer the veggies to the ice bath to stop them from cooking. Drain well.
- Make the dressing: In a medium bowl whisk all the dressing ingredients together.
- Combine everything: In a large bowl, combine the pasta, veggies, bocconcini and the dressing. Toss well. Stir in half the Parmesan cheese and reserve the other half for serving.
Notes
- I always rinse pasta when making a cold pasta salad as it will help to cool it down and stop the cooking process.
- Add a protein such as chicken, bacon or beef to the salad to make it a complete meal.
- Feel free to add more veggies to the salad, such broccoli, mushrooms, spinach or bell peppers.
- Pasta salad can be refrigerated for 3 to 4 days. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, or store in an airtight container to maximize freshness.
- I would not recommend freezing this recipe because as the veggies and pasta thaw, they will become soggy and will fall apart. This is a recipe best enjoyed fresh!
Nutrition Information
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
Recipe inspired from Food & Wine.
