Description
A quick and vibrant spring pasta salad with fresh vegetables, chickpeas, and a zesty lemon dressing, ready in 30 minutes. Perfect for picnics or a light meal.
Ingredients
1 ½ teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
½ small shallot, chopped
2 teaspoons agave nectar
¾ teaspoon Dijon mustard
Sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
½ cup neutral-flavored oil (like avocado oil)
¾ lb asparagus, woody ends trimmed
1 cup shelled green peas (fresh or frozen)
1 lb small pasta (like fusilli or farfalle)
1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
½ English cucumber, sliced
¼ red onion, thinly sliced
½ cup crumbled feta cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (parsley or basil)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Toss asparagus with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast for 10-15 minutes until tender.
Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water to cool.
In a large bowl, whisk lemon zest, lemon juice, shallot, agave, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Slowly drizzle in oil, emulsifying.
In a separate bowl, combine peas, cooked chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and herbs.
Add roasted asparagus and cooled pasta to the vegetable mixture. Pour dressing over everything, then toss to coat.
Sprinkle with feta cheese before serving.
Notes
Use canned chickpeas (drained and rinsed) if fresh are unavailable. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Substitute Greek yogurt for feta to make it vegan.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 15
- Category: Recipes
- Method: Roasting & Tossing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 20mg