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Asparagus Pasta Salad
Orzo pasta with fresh asparagus and tomatoes with a light lemony vinaigrette.
Course
Salad
Cuisine
American
Prep Time
15
minutes
minutes
Cook Time
10
minutes
minutes
Total Time
25
minutes
minutes
Servings
4
people
Calories
306
kcal
Author
Kathy Berget
Equipment
Measuring Cups
Measuring Spoons
Ingredients
Salad
1
pound
asparagus
cut into 1 ½ inch pieces
1
cup
uncooked orzo pasta
½
cup
grape tomatoes
quartered
2
green onions
sliced thinly
2
Tablespoons
fresh basil
sliced into thin strips
salt and pepper
Vinaigrette
4
Tablespoons
olive oil
2
Tablespoons
lemon juice
fresh squeezed
1
Tablespoons
rice wine vinegar
2
teaspoons
honey
optional
1
teaspoon
dijon mustard
½
teaspoon
red pepper flakes
US Customary
-
Metric
Instructions
Salad
Cook asparagus in boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain and put hot asparagus into a bowl full of ice water to cool.
1 pound asparagus
Cook orzo pasta. Drain pasta and place in a bowl. Allow to cool until warm.
1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
Pour prepared vinaigrette over orzo and stir to combine. Allow orzo to cool until at room temperature.
Add blanched asparagus, chopped tomatoes, green onions and sliced basil. Stir gently.
½ cup grape tomatoes,
2 green onions,
2 Tablespoons fresh basil
Add salt and pepper to taste
Cover and refrigerate or serve right away
Vinaigrette
Place olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, honey, dijon mustard and red pepper flakes into a bowl. Combine with a whisk until smooth.
4 Tablespoons olive oil,
2 Tablespoons lemon juice,
1 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar,
2 teaspoons honey,
1 teaspoon dijon mustard,
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes,
salt and pepper
Notes
Recipe can be doubled to serve a larger crowd.
Variations
To make this a complete meal, add chopped cooked chicken breasts to the salad.
I've added a small amount of honey to balance the acidity from the lemon and vinegar. You can omit if desired.
Red pepper flakes are added to provide a bit of spice. If you prefer a milder taste, add half the red pepper flakes called for or omit altogether.
Small salad pasta or small shell pasta can be substituted for the orzo
Nutrition
Serving:
0.75
cup
|
Calories:
306
kcal
|
Carbohydrates:
37
g
|
Protein:
8
g
|
Fat:
15
g
|
Saturated Fat:
2
g
|
Sodium:
25
mg
|
Potassium:
373
mg
|
Fiber:
4
g
|
Sugar:
7
g
|
Vitamin A:
1199
IU
|
Vitamin C:
13
mg
|
Calcium:
39
mg
|
Iron:
3
mg