Spring Pasta Salad with Lemon Dressing
A vibrant, make-ahead salad combining tender pasta, blanched asparagus and peas, and creamy chickpeas with a bright, emulsified lemon dressing. The balanced textures and flavors make it a satisfying, refreshing spring dish.
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 10
- Total Time: 30
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Recipes
- Method: Boiling/Tossing
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
1 ½ teaspoons lemon zest, finely grated
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
½ small shallot, chopped
2 teaspoons agave nectar or maple syrup
¾ teaspoon Dijon mustard
Sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
½ cup neutral-flavored oil (e.g., avocado)
¾ lb asparagus, woody ends trimmed
1 cup shelled green peas (fresh or frozen)
1 lb small pasta (e.g., fusilli or farfalle)
1 ½ cups drained and rinsed cooked chickpeas
2 green onions, thinly sliced (optional)
Instructions
Zest and juice 1–2 lemons for dressing (reserve lemon halves for finishing if desired)
In a large bowl, whisk together lemon zest, lemon juice, shallot, agave nectar, Dijon mustard, and ½ tsp salt. Gradually drizzle in oil while whisking until well emulsified
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Blanch asparagus in the water for 2 minutes; add peas and cook for 30 seconds more. Strain and immediately plunge into ice water to cool
Cook pasta in the same pot of boiling water (add more if needed) until just tender. Combine pasta with half the dressing while still warm; let sit for 1–2 minutes
Toss chickpeas into the pasta-dressing mixture. Add blanched asparagus and peas with the remaining dressing. Season with additional salt and pepper
Chill completely before serving. For best results, refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to let flavors meld
Serve cold or at room temperature, garnished with green onions if using
Notes
Use a microplane to zest lemons without bitter pith
Frozen peas work well if fresh not available
Pasta shapes with nooks (like farfalle) cling to dressing better
Chickpeas can be substituted with roasted potatoes for a different texture
This salad is best eaten within 2 days when stored refrigerated
Dressing can be doubled for extra wetness if needed
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (about 1 ½ cups)
- Calories: 240
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 500mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 11g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Find it online: https://slicesync.com/spring-pasta-salad-with-lemon-dressing/