Best Creamy Asparagus Pasta Salad Recipes

CREAMY PESTO PASTA SALAD WITH CHICKEN, ASPARAGUS AND CHERRY TOMATOES

Steps:

• Mix dressing ingredients in a small bowl; keep chilled until ready to toss with salad. (Store in clean jar with lid.)
• Bring 1 gallon of water and 2 Tbs. of salt to boil in a large soup kettle. Add pasta and, using package times as a guide, boil, stirring frequently and adding asparagus the last 1 minute, until just tender. Drain thoroughly (do not rinse) and dump onto a large, lipped cookie sheet. Set aside to cool while preparing remaining salad ingredients.
• Place all salad ingredients (except buttermilk dressing) in a large bowl or transfer to a gallon-size zippered bag. (Can be covered and refrigerated several hours at this point.) When ready to serve, add dressing; toss to coat and serve.

ASPARAGUS PASTA SALAD WITH A CREAMY LEMON DRESSING

Steps:

• Dressing -- mix all the ingredients and set to the side until the pasta and asparagus are cooked.
• Salad -- In a large pot of salted water, boil the pasta according to directions. Approximately 3 minutes before the pasta is done, add the asparagus until is comes out al dente. Now drain the pasta and asparagus. Rinse under cold water for just a few seconds to stop the cooking process and cool slightly.
• Combine -- Now toss the still slightly warm pasta with the dressing. Add in the scallions, extra salt and pepper and serve garnished with the cheese fresh lemon slices. A nice simple salad!
• Now this is a very light tasting salad with a very simple dressing. It doesn't have bold flavors, but subtle flavors which is a nice compliment to a fresh herb roasted chicken breast or piece of fish. This is all about fresh subtle flavors.

CREAMY ASPARAGUS PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 3 minutes less than the package directions. Add asparagus and continue cooking until the pasta and asparagus are just tender, 3 minutes more. Drain and return to the pot.
• Meanwhile, whisk milk, mustard, flour, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant and lightly browned, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Whisk in the milk mixture. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly, and cook until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in tarragon, lemon zest and juice.
• Stir the sauce into the pasta-asparagus mixture. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until the sauce is thick, creamy and coats the pasta, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup Parmesan. Divide the pasta among 4 bowls and top with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.
• NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 359 calories; 10 g fat (4 g sat, 4 g mono); 18 mg cholesterol; 55 g carbohydrate; 18 g protein; 7 g fiber; 602 mg sodium; 467 mg potassium.
• Nutrition bonus: Folate (38% daily value), Calcium (30% dv), Vitamin C & Zinc (20% dv).
• Exchanges: 3 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 lean meat, 1 1/2 fat; 3 Carbohydrate Servings.

CREAMY ASPARAGUS PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Place all the ingredients for the dressing in a jar and screw on lid. Shake jar vigorously until ingredients are well combined. Taste and adjust quantities as desired. Set the dressing aside.
• To Make Pasta Salad:
• Remove the tough stems of the asparagus then cut each spear into 2-inch pieces.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for 11 minutes, then add the asparagus to the boiling waterand cook with pasta for another 2 minutes. Drain the pasta and asparagus then rinse it with cold water until cooled; allow drain well.
• Transfer pasta and asparagus to a large bowl, gently stir intomatoes and onions. Toss with dressing, cover and refrigerate a few hours or over night.
• Serve cold or room temperature. Enjoy!