When summer weather hits that means it is officially pasta salad season! This Goat Cheese Pasta Salad is the perfect dish to serve at your next BBQ, or to bring to a holiday potluck. Creamy, delicious, and full of fresh vegetables, this one will disappear from the table in a flash!
½bunch asparagusends trimmed and discarded, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
8ouncesdried fusilli or other short pasta
1loggoat cheese, crumbled, divided4 ounces
Juice of 1 lemon
¼cupolive oil
2teaspoonsDijon mustard
1teaspoongrated lemon zest
½teaspoonkosher saltplus additional for cooking water
1cupgrape tomatoeshalved
Instructions
Heat medium pot of salted water to boiling over high heat. Fill medium bowl with ice water. Add asparagus to boiling water and cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Drain asparagus and immediately transfer to ice water. Let asparagus fully cool in ice water, then transfer asparagus to small bowl and refrigerate.
Refill medium pot with salted water. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions.
Meanwhile, place 3 ounces goat cheese, lemon juice, oil, mustard, lemon zest and salt in large bowl and whisk until well combined.
At end of pasta cooking time, transfer 1/4 cup pasta cooking water to bowl with goat cheese mixture and whisk until smooth. Transfer half of dressing (about 1/2 cup) to small bowl and refrigerate.
Drain pasta and transfer to bowl with remaining dressing; toss until well combined. Refrigerate one hour or up to 3 days.
Just before serving, remove pasta from refrigerator and stir in tomatoes, asparagus, remaining 1 ounce goat cheese, and reserved dressing. Serve immediately.
This website provides estimated nutrition information as a courtesy only. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.