Pasta Salad with Asparagus

This cold pasta salad features asparagus and a delicious garlic-dijon dressing. It’s a wonderful dish for brunches, picnics or hot summer nights.

Preparation facts

Servings: 6

Yield: 10 cups (2.4L)

Ingredients

2 lbs (910g) asparagus spears, sliced diagonally into 1-inch (2.5cm) pieces

12 oz (340g) angel hair pasta, or other pasta, uncooked

1/2 cup (90g) shallots, chopped

1/4 cup (60mL) olive oil

1/4 cup (55g) Dijon mustard

1/4 cup (10g) fresh parsley, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tsp (2g) thyme

1/2 tsp (3g) salt

1/4 tsp (1g) black pepper, freshly ground

Directions

Place asparagus in microwave-safe container with small amount of water. Cover and microwave for 3 minutes. Drain. Asparagus should be tender but still bright green.

Cook pasta in rapidly boiling water until done. Drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix together shallots, olive oil, Dijon mustard, parsley, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, combine shallot mixture with pasta and asparagus; mix well. Serve chilled.

Nutrition facts

Serving Size 1 serving

Calories 341

Calories from Fat 93 (27%)

% Daily Value*

16%Total Fat 11g

7%Saturated Fat 1.4g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 6.7g

0%Cholesterol 0mg

14%Sodium 330mg

14%Potassium 476mg

17%Total Carbohydrate 52g

20%Dietary Fiber 5g

Sugars 3g

Sugar Alcohols 0g

23%Protein 12g

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutrition facts are calculated by a food expert using nutritional values provided by the USDA for common products used as recipe ingredients. Actual nutritional values may differ depending on the amounts or products used and can be affected by cooking methods.

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The information presented in the Food Guide is for informational purposes only and was created by a team of US–registered dietitians and food experts. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or chemist for any health problem and before using any supplements, making dietary changes, or before making any changes in prescribed medications. Information expires August 2007.