Farmer’s Market Pasta Salad with Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette

This Farmer’s Market Pasta Salad with Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette is fresh, filling, and loaded with things I love to grab at the market this time of year—asparagus, basil, arugula, and cherry tomatoes. Tossed with a sweet and tangy honey balsamic dressing that I’ve been making on repeat, plus some creamy feta and white beans for protein and heartiness.

Farmer’s Market Pasta Salad with Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette

Rotini Pasta: Our pasta salad base here is rotini pasta. I find the tight spirals hold the dressing and finely chopped components well. You can swap for your preferred pasta shape.

Asparagus: A yummy seasonal veggie that cooks up very quickly. If you prefer to skip the roasting, finely chop the asparagus stalks and add them in raw. See the recipe notes for more seasonal swaps you can use.

Cherry Tomatoes: Another yummy seasonal veggie that comes alive when roasted. It’s the perfect burst of sweetness to balance the vinegar in the dressing and pairs with the basil perfectly.

Cannellini Beans: Cannellini beans are a great source of plant-based protein. I love to incorporate them into summer recipes since they’re lighter than other beans. An easy swap is chickpeas!

Balsamic Vinegar: The base of the dressing in this recipe is balsamic vinegar. It’s a sweeter vinegar that makes for a rich dressing that pulls together all of the summery flavors in this dish-especially the tomatoes, basil, and feta.

Arugula: A little twist on a traditional pasta salad, we’re using some light greens to bulk it up and add even more veggies. I love to grab a fresh bag of arugula at the farmer’s market in the summertime, it truly just tastes different! You can swap for a different leafy green, if preferred.

Farmer’s Market Pasta Salad with Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette

Recipe by Jenn Lueke

4.5 from 22 votes

Servings

Adjust servings

+

–

4

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Cooling Time

15

minutes

This Farmer’s Market Pasta Salad with Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette is fresh, filling, and loaded with things I love to grab at the market this time of year—asparagus, basil, arugula, and cherry tomatoes. Tossed with a sweet and tangy honey balsamic dressing that I’ve been making on repeat, plus some creamy feta and white beans for protein and heartiness.

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Ingredients

• For the Pasta Salad

• 8 ounces asparagus, ends trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

• 1 pint (10-12 ounces) cherry tomatoes

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 10 ounces gluten-free rotini pasta

• 4 ounces arugula

• 1 cup basil leaves, roughly chopped

• 15 ounces cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

• 4 ounces crumbled feta cheese

• Juice of 1 small lemon (about 3 tablespoons)

• balsamic glaze, for drizzling (optional)

• For the Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

• 2 tablespoons raw honey (or pure maple syrup)

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper.
• Add the asparagus and cherry tomatoes to the sheet pan and toss with the olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Roasted until soft and browning, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool in the pan for at least 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook the pasta. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, then add the pasta and cook until al dente, 8 to 11 minutes. Drain, return to the pot off heat, and toss with a drizzle of olive oil to prevent sticking. Cool until the pasta reaches room temperature, about 15 minutes. (You can pop it in the fridge after about 5 minutes off heat to quicken the cooling process.)
• Make the vinaigrette: add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and oregano to a small jar or bowl and whisk or shake vigorously until well combined, 30 to 45 seconds.
• Add the cooked and cooled pasta, roasted asparagus and tomatoes, arugula, and basil to a large mixing bowl and toss to evenly combine. Add the beans, feta, and half of the vinaigrette and gently toss again to evenly distribute. Add the lemon juice and toss once more to combine. Add more dressing as desired.
• Chill until serving and top each bowl with a drizzle of balsamic glaze, if desired.

Notes

• Storage: Refrigerate the fully assembled salad for up to 2 days. If you are meal prepping, keep the arugula and dressing separate until serving.
• Vegetables: Swap these out seasonally to keep things fresh! In spring opt for peas, sugar snap peas, radishes, or leeks. In Fall add in roasted squash, beets, carrots, or any other root veggies you love. In winter, add broccoli or cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, or shallots.

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