Some dishes are quintessential to summer.  This Roasted Asparagus Pasta Salad is one of them.

The first time I remember eating asparagus, or, more accurately, the first time I remember enjoying asparagus, was the summer I turned ten.  Almost as exciting as the grilled asparagus my mom served for dinner this particular night was the late sunset we enjoyed.

Thanks to this memory, I’ll always associate asparagus with summer, even though asparagus season peaks in spring.

Roasted Asparagus Pasta Salad

As the recipe title suggests, roasted asparagus is the star component of this pasta salad.  But it’s the combination of all the salad ingredients that makes this dish such a showstopper.

The roasted asparagus is complemented by spaghetti, sautéed tomatoes and olives (the olives were my daughter’s genius contribution to the recipe), chickpeas, dark red kidney beans, and cubed mozzarella.  The pasta salad is compiled just after the spaghetti finishes cooking, so the mozzarella cubes melt slightly into the other ingredients.

pasta salad

I admit that the bites with melted mozzarella are my favorite.  But this pasta salad still makes a delicious vegan dinner if the mozzarella is omitted.

My red wine vinaigrette brings the spaghetti, tomatoes, olives, beans, and mozzarella together.  This vinaigrette is savory, sweet, and tangy, thanks to red wine vinegar, garlic, maple syrup, Vegenaise (vegan mayonnaise), and black pepper.

Make Roasted Asparagus Pasta Salad!

Asparagus season may peak in spring, but this Roasted Asparagus Pasta Salad is a dish to enjoy year round.  Especially in the summer.  Make it this week!

One Thing!

Enjoy this dish as a one pot meal, or serve it with a salad.

The red wine vinaigrette makes a great dressing over greens too, so if you have any extra vinaigrette, drizzle it over whatever greens you have on hand.

Check out my Amazon store here for my favorite olive oil.  This is the olive oil I prefer to use for all of my salad dressings.   (Trader Joe’s also has great, budget-friendly olive oil options.)

5 from 3 votes

Roasted Asparagus Pasta Salad

This Roasted Asparagus Pasta Salad with red wine vinaigrette is a summer staple.  Beans, mozzarella, olives, and tomatoes add even more flavor.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Servings: 6
Print Recipe

Ingredients

For the asparagus:

  • 12 oz asparagus spears, cut on the bias to 1 inch pieces
  • ¼ tsp sea salt
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp red wine vinegar

For the tomatoes and olives:

  • 10 oz tomatoes, cherry or grape, cut in halves
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • ⅓ cup manzanilla olives, sliced (kalamata olives would also be great)

For the dressing:

  • ½ cup olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp Vegenaise, (or mayonnaise)
  • 3 tsp maple syrup
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • 1 pinch black pepper

Everything else:

  • ⅓ cup mozzarella cubes, freshly cubed (omit to keep this meal vegan)
  • 1 15 oz can garbanzo beans, drained
  • 1 15 oz can dark red kidney beans, drained
  • ¾ pound spaghetti
  • 2 Tbsp fresh parsley, minced

Instructions

Make the dressing

  • In a small bowl, whisk together all the dressing ingredients until the dressing emulsifies. Set the dressing aside while you prepare the other components of the meal. (Now is also a good time to cube the mozzarella, if using.)

Cook the tomatoes and olives

  • Add the olive oil, tomatoes, olives, and salt to a skillet. Turn the heat on to medium-high, and cook for 6 minutes. The tomatoes will begin to break down and release their juices.
  • If the pan is a little dry, add an additional Tbsp of olive oil, then turn the heat down to low and cook the tomatoes and olives for an additional 9 minutes.
  • Turn the heat off, and add the drained chickpeas and dark red kidney beans to the skillet. Mix the beans in with your spatula until they are fully incorporated into the tomatoes and olives. Set the mixture aside.

Roast the asparagus

  • While the tomatoes and olives cook, roast the asparagus.
  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Add the asparagus, salt, red wine vinegar, and olive oil to a baking sheet. Toss everything together with your hands, then spread the asparagus out evenly on the baking sheet.
  • Roast the asparagus for 10 minutes. Take the asparagus out of the oven and lightly toss the asparagus with your spatula. The asparagus is done, set aside.

Make the spaghetti

  • While the asparagus roasts, cook the spaghetti. Drain the spaghetti once it finishes cooking, and save ½ cup of the pasta water.

Compile the pasta salad

  • Put the drained spaghetti back in the pot you cooked it in. Add the tomato/olive/bean mixture, the roasted asparagus, and the minced parsley to the pasta. Give everything a light toss with tongs or a large spoon and fork, then add about half of the dressing.
  • Toss the dressing into the pasta mixture until it evenly coats everything. Taste, and add more dressing, if desired. If the dressing ratio and flavor is good, but the dish is a little dry, toss in a few Tbsp of the reserved pasta water.
  • Continue adding dressing and/or pasta water until your desired flavor and moisture level is reached.
  • Now toss the mozzarella cubes into the pasta salad. The mozzarella will melt slightly.

Serve and enjoy!

  • Serve this pasta salad alone, or with a salad. Enjoy!

Notes

This dish is vegetarian.
This dish is vegan if you omit the mozzarella.
This dish is gluten-free if you use gluten-free pasta.
Serve this pasta with a salad.