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 go well alongside grilled chicken, salmon, or a picnic-style dinner.

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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

Why These Ingredients Work Well Together

• While asparagus add a fresh, slightly earthy flavor, the green peas and snap peas add extra sweetness. The vegetables are blanched, shocked and dried, preserving color and crunch. The crispness of the vegetables complements the softness of the pasta, providing a satisfying balance of textures.
• The radishes and cucumber bring even more freshness, due to high water content of both and it adds another dimension to the overall texture of the salad. The red skin of the radishes stands out in the salad. Radishes’ peppery flavor, spicy flavor contrasts with the flavor of the green vegetables and keeps a nice balance with the salty feta.
• This salad is highly customizable.
• Left-overs can be kept easily and thus the salad is a great meal-prep options if you’re into meal prepping. (Please keep dressing and herbs separate from salad).

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.

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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.

Enjoy !