#OurFamilyTable ~ Lemony Asparagus Pasta Salad

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For today's posts Christie from A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures invited us to share some beautiful fresh Spring Side Dishes with you. Take a minute and look through and get inspired for your spring meals!

Fresh Spring Sides Dishes

• Blueberry Ginger Slaw by Cindy's Recipes and Writings
• Creamed Beet Salad by Art of Natural Living
• Creamy Parmesan Asparagus Soup by Cheese Curd In Paradise
• Grilled Asparagus with Fresh Gremolata by That Recipe
• Honey Roasted Carrot Salad by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Lemony Asparagus Pasta Salad by Making Miracles
• Orzo Pasta Salad by Blogghetti
• Roasted Balsamic Asparagus and Mushrooms by Hezzi D's Books and Cooks
• Roasted Carrots, Potatoes, and Green Beans by Eat Move Make
• Sweet and Sour Cabbage by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures

I opted to add a protein to this dish - but you can certainly leave that out if you want a straight veggie / pasta salad to serve alongside your meal! I was thinking of warm weather, and BBQs, and Potlucks - and I think this dish would sit perfectly with the salads on any potluck table! Bonus that it has no mayonnaise in it for sitting out in the sun!

It tastes great room temperature or chilled - and you can refrigerate overnight before serving. Though you may want to reserve a little of the dressing if you plan to serve next day, so the pasta doesn't absorb all of it while it's resting!

Lemony Asparagus Pasta Salad adapted from Simple Veganista

Ingredients
12 oz penne pasta
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, diced small (optional)
1 lb asparagus, tough ends removed and cut into 1-inch length pieces
3-4 medium tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup grated parmesan, more to taste

Lemon-Garlic Dressing
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2-4 tablespoons dijon mustard
8 TBS lemon juice
1-2 TBS minced garlic (jarred, less if fresh)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, more to taste
1 tsp salt, more to taste

Directions

1. Put a large pot of salted water on to boil, boil your pasta for about 8 minutes. Add the diced asparagus and boil 4 more minutes. Test - asparagus and pasta should be tender. Boil another minute or two if needed. As soon as both are cooked through, immediately drain and rinse in cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, heat a large nonstick skillet with 1 TBS olive oil and brown the diced chicken, sprinkling lightly with salt and pepper during cooking. Once cooked, set aside to cool. 
3. Assemble the dressing by combining all ingredients in a medium sized bowl and whisking vigorously until creamy, or placing in a mason jar sealed tightly and shaking until creamy.
4. Taste your dressing and adjust your seasonings (you will need to adjust again once all ingredients are combined). I actually added a touch of sugar to mine - if yours is too tangy feel free to add a little honey or sugar.
5. Combine the cooled pasta and asparagus with the chicken, diced fresh tomatoes, parmesan cheese, and the prepped dressing. Lightly toss mixture to evenly coat and distribute the dressing.
6. Taste, and adjust salt, pepper, and parmesan cheese to your tastes. Serve immediately, or chill and serve later.