Asparagus Pasta Salad for Two

The asparagus and snap peas are blanched briefly, just long enough to turn vivid green and lose their raw edge without going soft. Everything else is raw, crisp, and cut to roughly the same size so the salad eats evenly. Feta crumbled over the top adds a saltiness that the vinaigrette doesn’t need to provide. Mint and dill together give the bowl an herbal freshness that makes it taste like the best version of spring in a bowl.

The orzo holds the dressing well and doesn’t turn to mush if the salad sits for a few minutes before you eat. This is a recipe that works just as well for a quiet lunch as it does alongside grilled chicken, salmon, or a picnic-style dinner.

Why These Ingredients Work Well Together

The blanching and ice bath sequence is what makes the difference between a pasta salad that looks vibrant and one that looks tired. One minute in boiling salted water, straight into ice, then thoroughly dried; that’s what keeps the asparagus and snap peas intensely green and snappy rather than dull and soft. The orzo holds the maple-Dijon dressing without absorbing it all, so the salad stays dressed rather than dry after a few minutes in the bowl. Feta crumbled in just before serving and gently folded through means the saltiness stays concentrated in pockets rather than dissolving evenly into the dressing and you get a distinct hit of it with each piece rather than a flat, background saltiness throughout. Mint with dill, rather than one herb alone, gives the bowl a freshness that’s harder to place but immediately noticeable.

_{This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I make a small commission off items you purchase at no additional cost to you.}

Key Ingredients in This Recipe

You’ll find the complete list of ingredients and exact quantities in the recipe below.

FOR THE SALAD

• Asparagus
• Snap peas – sugar peas will also work, but they ‘snap’ less.
• Green peas
• Cucumber – whatever one you like, Persian or English.
• Radishes
• Orzo pasta – or other small pasta.
• Feta cheese – goat cheese will work as well.
• Dill
• Mint

FOR THE DRESSING

• Olive oil
• White wine vinegar
• Maple syrup
• Dijon mustard
• Salt & pepper

Watch this short video below to see how quickly and easily this recipe comes together

How to Make Asparagus Pasta Salad

Step 1 – Prepare the ingredients; cut the wooden part off the asparagus and then cut in half. Cut the cucumber into cubes, the radishes into sticks and finely chop the herbs.

Step 2 – Bring a pot of water and salt to boil. Add the asparagus and blanch for about 1 minute. Remove the asparagus from the boiling water with a slotted spoon and plunge them into the ice bath.

Don't Miss a Single Great Recipe!

First Name:

Email address:

Leave this field empty if you're human:

Step 3 – Bring the same water back to a boil and add the green peas and snap peas. Blanch both peas for 1-2 minutes, remove them and add them to the ice bath as well. Keep the water.

Serve salad in individual bowls or in one larger bowl for two.

Alternatives and Substitutions

• Snap peas – replace them with sugar peas or even green beans; the latter need to be cooked a little longer (5-7 minutes) than the snap peas.
• Instead of cucumber you can use zucchini, or a celery if you want the juiciness.
• Radishes are in this salad, mainly for the color, so substitutions are carrot, red bell pepper.
• To replace the saltiness of the Feta cheese is a little harder. Try a Pecorino Romano or a sharp blue cheese. If you don’t like blue cheese, try a goat cheese, ricotta salata, cotija cheese or coarsely grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.

Other Tips

• This salad is highly customizable.
• Left-overs can be kept easily in the fridge in airtight containers and thus the salad is a great meal-prep options if you’re into meal prepping. (Please keep dressing and herbs separate from salad).

Enjoy !