Summer Pasta Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette Recipe (2024)

May 26, 2020 by Susan

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This Summer Pasta Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette is perfect for spring and summer. It’s fresh, light, and full of flavor. Since this recipe has no meat or mayonnaise and instead has a tasty pasta salad vinaigrette, it’s safer to take on a picnic.

You will love how this healthy pasta salad recipe uses lots of fresh vegetables along with orzo and a delicious pasta salad vinaigrette.

As with any pasta salad, it can soak up the vinaigrette and dry out a bit in the refrigerator, so you might want to make a double batch of the pasta salad vinaigrette to stir in as needed, especially if it sits overnight.

How to make Summer Pasta Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

We used different colored carrots, but you can use whatever kind you like. Shaving them creates beautiful ribbons throughout the salad and is easy to do. Just use a potato peeler to create long, thin ribbons, and then run a knife through the ribbons once or twice to break them up.

The great thing about any kind of pasta or vegetable salad is that you can change them up to suit your taste. You can add your favorite veggies, beans, or even some protein. Different colored bell peppers, edamame, or chickpeas would all add extra texture, color, and nutrition.

Summer Pasta Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

This pasta salad is perfect for your spring and summer gatherings! It's fresh, light, and full of flavor.

4.91 from 10 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 6

Calories: 492kcal

Ingredients

Pasta Salad

16 ounces orzo pasta
1 cup frozen petite peas thawed
1/2 cup orange carrot shaved
1/2 cup yellow carrot shaved
10 thin asparagus
2 green onions thinly sliced
1 cup tomatoes chopped
1/4 cup parsley chopped
1/4 cup basil leaves sliced
1 large lemon juiced and zested

Lemon Vinaigrette

1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice + remaining zest from above
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 large clove garlic minced
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package, drain and rinse well with cold water. Allow it to sit in the colander while you prepare the rest salad.
Add all of the dressing ingredients to a mason jar, cover tightly, and shake until thoroughly combined.
To prepare the lemon for both the salad and the dressing, use a zester and remove as much as the zest as you can without getting any of the white pith. Set the zest aside, and squeeze out all the juice into a small bowl.
To prepare the asparagus, trim off the tough ends, and then trim the remaining stalk into 1" pieces. Bring a small pot of water to a boil, add the asparagus, and boil for two minutes. Pour into a strainer and rinse well with cold water to stop the cooking.
Add the pasta, all the vegetables, herbs, and one tablespoon of the lemon zest to a very large bowl. Stir to combine.
Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and stir to combine.
Taste and adjust the seasonings to your liking. You can also add more lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil, etc...
Serve immediately or chill in the refrigerator.
To garnish, sprinkle the top with extra herbs or green onion.

Nutrition

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Written by Susan Carraretto, co-founder of 5 Minutes for Mom
We published the first version of this recipe on Jun 15, 2017.
Talk with me: @5minutesformom and Facebook.com/5minutesformom
Pin with me at pinterest.com/5minutesformom

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About Susan

Susan Carraretto and her identical twin, Janice Croze, created 5Minutes for Mom in 2006. Susan loves all social media, but her top addiction these days is Pinterest.

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21 Comments

Oven Fresh Cake says
June 2, 2020 at 9:06 am

Great info thanks buddy! Will surely utilize your research resources.
Reply
Sharon@BlueWillowHouse says
July 1, 2017 at 2:30 pm
I can’t wait to make this salad. It sounds and looks delicious. Thank you for sharing at Snickerdoodle and drop by my blog to see your recipe post featured at the Snickerdoodle party.
Reply
Jess says
July 1, 2017 at 1:40 pm
I could eat a huge bowl of this! 🙂
I would love for you to share this with my Facebook Group for recipes, crafts, tips, and tricks: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pluckyrecipescraftstips/
Thanks for joining Cooking and Crafting with J & J!
See Also
Meal Prep Recipe: Thai Chicken Bowls
Reply
Theresa @DearCreatives says
June 30, 2017 at 1:47 am
Looks delish! Thanks for sharing at the inspiration Spotlight party. Pinned & shared.
Reply
Smellyann says
June 29, 2017 at 4:40 am
Ooh, I have to make this for our neighborhood block party. It’ll be perfect. Thanks so much for this recipe! (It’s beautiful, btw.)
Reply
Judee@gluten free A-Z Blog says
June 28, 2017 at 9:43 pm
This salad really looks delicious. I love how you arranged everything in the bowl before you tossed it. I’m pinning it for my next party..
Reply
Miz Helen says
June 28, 2017 at 10:13 am
Congratulations Susan!
Your recipe in on The Top Ten for Full Plate Thursday this week! Thanks so much for sharing with us and enjoy your new Red Plate. Have a fantastic week and come back to see us soon.
Miz Helen
Reply
Mary says
June 27, 2017 at 4:43 pm
This is definitely a filling salad and it lacks nothing. It has taste, looks so pretty with all those colors and is perfect for the summer. I like it so much I’m going to pin it twice!
Reply
Laurie says
June 27, 2017 at 11:27 am
A beautiful and colorful salad! Looks delicious! Thanks for sharing with us this week at Brag About It.
Reply
Ashley says
June 27, 2017 at 3:02 am
This looks so beautiful and fresh and healthy. Summer in a bowl <3
Reply
Joann says
June 25, 2017 at 7:36 pm
This looks like a great salad for 4th of July weekend party!! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Reply
Leanna says
June 25, 2017 at 5:56 pm
This looks fantastic. Hubs will love this recipe. Pinning
Reply
Miz Helen says
June 23, 2017 at 11:46 am
This is a perfect salad for a hot summers day! Thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday. Have a great week and come back soon!
Miz Helen
Reply
Carrie says
June 23, 2017 at 9:16 am
Very colorful salad. Lots and lots of good ingredients.
Reply
Alison's Allspice says
June 22, 2017 at 6:04 pm
I love simple meals like this, so colorful and healthy! I will add a little protein and make it for my work lunches. Thank you!
Reply
Jackie says
June 16, 2017 at 6:53 am
That salad looks so colorful and very light and refreshing.
Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Reply