Spring Pasta Salad with Asparagus (no mayo)
This Spring Pasta Salad with Asparagus is a bowl of sunshine! It’s easy, zesty, and full of fresh flavours without the use of mayo—think asparagus, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella balls, lemon zest and an olive oil drizzle.
Looking for a light and refreshing pasta salad without mayo? This Spring Pasta Salad with Asparagus combines tender pasta with crisp green asparagus, juicy cherry tomatoes, creamy mozzarella balls, fresh basil, and a burst of lemon zest, all tossed in extra-virgin olive oil. It’s the perfect seasonal side dish for spring and summer gatherings, picnics, or quick family lunches.
How to keep the asparagus vivid green?
To keep your asparagus beautifully vivid green, the key is blanching. Start by boiling a pot of salted water and having a bowl of ice water ready; alternatively, you can use cold running water. Drop the asparagus into the boiling water for just 4-5 minutes, until it turns a bright green and becomes slightly tender. Quickly transfer the spears to stop the cooking process and lock in that vibrant colour. This simple trick helps preserve both the asparagus’s crisp texture and its fresh, spring-like appearance.
Lemon Zest
To add a lot of sunshine to our spring pasta salad, nothing beats a fresh lemon zest. To complement the asparagus perfectly, I highly recommend using organic lemons, as it’s practically impossible to eliminate all the pesticides used on them.
I only squeeze half a lemon over the cherry tomatoes, just enough zing! I avoid adding it to the pasta directly so that the star of the show, the golden extra-virgin olive oil, can shine.
Service
I like to finish the salad with a final drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of salt, and a handful of fresh basil right before serving. The fresh basil adds a burst of aroma, stays crisp, and retains its vibrant green colour.
Spring Asparagus Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 400 g green asparagus
- 400 g pasta of your choice fusilli, penne, farfalle, etc.
- 400 g cherry tomatoes about 30
- 300 g small mozzarella balls about 30 balls
- 100 ml olive oil extra virgin
- 1 garlic clove mashed or minced
- 1 organic lemon the zest and half its juice
- 1 handful fresh basil *optional
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Cook the asparagus in a big pot of salted boiling water until al dente or cooked but still bouncy, which is about 5 minutes.
- Pass through a strainer and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process and reserve.
- In a large pot of salted, boiling water, cook your preferred type of pasta following the instructions.
- Again, pass the pasta through a strainer when ready and rinse under cold water to get bouncy pasta.
- Cut the cherry tomatoes in half, then add mashed garlic, the juice of half a lemon, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
- Add all the ingredients except the fresh basil leaves to a big bowl, and mix until well combined. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
- Before serving, add the fresh basil leaves and a last fresh drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, and mix.
Video
Nutrition
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Did You Make This Recipe?
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I really loved the addition of asparagus to a classic Spring pasta salad! This was extremely flavorful, and so much lighter and tastier without the mayo!
I love a simple olive oil dressing for my pasta salad, makes things fresher and the asparagus brings in the sun!
Loved finding a pasta recipe that didn’t have mayo. This was definitely a winner in taste and colour. Will make again.
Super simple and colourful bite perfect as a side dish for BBQ season also!
A very nice spring pasta salad! So easy to make and I made it with a gluten-free pasta!
Great idea! Super easy to adapt into a gluten-free diet.
This salad was just what I needed for the first picnic of the year. I love how flavorful and fresh it turned out. The mozzarella really makes it super more-ish!
Yes, perfect picnic companion this spring salad! No meat, eggs or mayo that might turn in the sun!
Spring Pasta salad is delicious your recipe is so good, I have tried yesterday, my family loved it.
Glad your family liked it! My kids pick the cheese fist, then the white pasta and finish always with the veggies, but it eventually all goes in!