This lemon asparagus pasta salad combines tender-crisp asparagus, fresh basil, and toasted pine nuts in a bright lemon vinaigrette. It's an ideal cold pasta dish for summer entertaining that tastes even better the next day.
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Prepare the vegetables and lemon. Cut the asparagus into 1-inch pieces, slice the fresh basil, and zest and juice the lemons.
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch the asparagus for 1 to 1.5 minutes until tender-crisp.
Immediately drain the asparagus and transfer it to an ice water bath to stop the cooking process. Once cooled, drain well.
In the same pot of boiling water, cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cool water.
In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the pine nuts until golden and fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
In a small bowl, prepare the dressing by whisking together the lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, white wine vinegar, salt, and pepper.
In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta, blanched asparagus, fresh basil, toasted pine nuts, and shaved Parmesan cheese.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until everything is evenly coated.
Transfer to a serving dish. Garnish with extra Parmesan cheese, pine nuts, basil, and lemon slices if desired.
Store in an airtight container refrigerated up to 4 days. Do not freeze. Refresh with a squeeze of lemon juice and extra olive oil before serving if dressing absorbs into pasta.
Yes. Prepare up to 4 hours ahead and refrigerate. Add fresh basil just before serving to preserve its color and flavor. The vinaigrette flavors deepen overnight.
Cut asparagus into 1-inch pieces and blanch for 2–3 minutes until just tender-crisp, then immediately ice-bath to stop cooking. This prevents overcooking when tossed with warm pasta.
Use walnuts, almonds, or sunflower seeds (toasted). Each will change the flavor slightly but maintains the textural crunch.
Yes. Omit the Parmesan or replace with nutritional yeast or vegan parmesan. All other ingredients are plant-based.
Aim for 3–4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice. Start with less and taste, adding more until the dressing is balanced—acidity varies by lemon variety.
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