Pasta salad for a lot of people means mayonnaise. For me, that doesn’t always work well. I like going on picnics and I don’t want to have to worry about keeping my pasta salad cold (not to mention that it tastes better when it isn’t too cold). So this one has a Vinaigrette instead, which matches well with the artichoke hearts too.
Ingredients
1 pound uncooked pasta (I used curly gemelli-like pasta)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound asparagus, chopped into bite-sized pieces (typically one bunch)
4 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly-sliced
Kosher salt and freshly-cracked black pepper
1 (14 ounce) jar artichoke hearts, drained and roughly-chopped
2/3 cup freshly-crated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
for the Vinaigrette
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons freshly-squeezed lemon juice
3 tablespoons finely-chopped fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper
Directions
To make the pasta salad: Cook the pasta in a large stockpot of generously-salted water until it is al dente, according to package directions. Drain pasta and rinse under cold water for about 20-30 seconds until no longer hot. Meanwhile, as the pasta water is heating and the pasta is cooking, heat oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add chopped asparagus, season with a generous pinch of salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Sauté for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in sliced garlic, and continue sautéing the mixture for 1-2 minutes more, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is fragrant and the asparagus is tender but still slightly crisp on the inside. Remove from heat and set aside.
To make the vinaigrette: Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl or measuring cup until combined.
In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta, asparagus mixture, artichoke hearts, Parmesan and toasted pine nuts. Drizzle evenly with the lemon basil vinaigrette, then toss to combine. Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan if desired.
