Try this Asparagus Pasta Salad recipe, or contribute your own.
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/3 cup plain greek yogurt
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- 8 oz. penne pasta uncooked
- 1 lb. asparagus trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces
- 1/3 cup thinly sliced purple onion
- !for the dressing:
- 1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
- Carbohydrate 148.308532293056 g
- Cholesterol 164.745 mg
- Fat 12.954789180228 g
- Fiber 11.1238393443195 g
- Protein 37.5221171401639 g
- Saturated Fat 2.07975961506636 g
- Serving Size 1 1 recipe (849g)
- Sodium 1332.55958698382 mg
- Sugar 137.184692948737 g
- Trans Fat 2.09446304441172 g
- Calories 835 calories
Step-by-step
- Boil the pasta for 12 minutes then add the cut asparagus to the boiling water. Cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes and then drain pasta and asparagus in a strainer and run under cold water until pasta and asparagus have cooled. Drain completely and place in a large bowl.
- Add in the tomato and onion and toss to coat.
- Meanwhile whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing and pour over pasta. Stir to coat. Serve chilled. Enjoy!
Simultaneous boiling of pasta and asparagus alters starch gelatinization and cellular integrity in predictable ways. Water temperature drops when solid matter enters the pot, so returning the liquid to a rolling boil before timing is critical for consistent results.
Assessing Doneness Without Thermal Tools
Visual and textural indicators replace guesswork when judging when vegetables and starches are ready. Starch is fully hydrated when penne loses its chalky opaque core and offers slight resistance to the teeth, known as al dente. Asparagus requires careful observation because heat breaks down the hemicellulose in cell walls, shifting the vegetable from a pale green to a bright, saturated hue. Dropping the trimmed stalks into the boiling pot during the final two to three minutes of the pasta's cooking cycle prevents the sulfur compounds inside the vegetable from overdeveloping and turning muddy. Rinsing both components under cold running water immediately arrests residual carryover cooking by dropping internal temperatures below 70 degrees Fahrenheit, stopping starch molecules from swelling further and turning gummy.Chemical Interplay in the Dressing
Emulsifying olive oil, lemon juice, Greek yogurt, sugar, and zest creates an acidic medium that balances the sulfurous notes of purple onion and the natural earthiness of green stalks. Citric acid modifies the perception of salinity while breaking down surface proteins in the dairy, yielding a cohesive coating that clings smoothly to ridged penne surfaces without pooling at the base of the bowl.
