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Pasta Salad with Asparagus, Sugar Snap Pea Pods, Mushrooms and Shrimp

Pasta Salad with Asparagus, Sugar Snap Pea Pods, Mushrooms and Shrimp

I think of this as a warm salad, because it is meant to be eaten warm to room temperature over a bed of greens. This is not a fussy recipe--you should substitute in or out whatever sounds good to you. Sammy had it with feta because she dislikes goat cheese. I used basil because I had just been to the store. John and Sammy preferred it with spring greens or baby spinach whereas Alex and I adored it with baby arugula. I really enjoyed the crunch and sweetness of the sugar snap pea pods but snow pea pods could work also. You get the idea!

Course Entree, entree salad
Cuisine salad
Keyword asparagus, pasta, pea pods, shrimp

Ingredients

  • 1 lb bow tie pasta, cooked to al dente
  • 1 T extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 small-medium onion, chopped
  • 1 T minced garlic
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 lb sliced crimini mushrooms
  • 1 bunch asparagus, woody stems snapped off and then sliced into 2-inch pieces
  • 1 lb shrimp
  • 2 handfuls sugar snap pea pods, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 handful basil, thinly sliced into slivers

For assembling salad:

  • crumbled goat cheese
  • several small handfuls per serving baby arugula (or spinach or spring greens0
  • fresh lemon juice, to taste

Instructions

  1. Cook the pasta according to package directions in salted water. Drain, reserving a ladle or 2 of the cooking water and set aside until needed.

  2. While the pasta is cooking, prep your vegetables.

  3. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add the oil and when it is hot add the onions with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until they soften and become translucent.

  4. Add the garlic with some freshly ground black pepper. Stir and cook for 2-3 minutes.

  5. Add the mushrooms with another pinch of salt. Cook until the mushrooms have released their liquid and are browning, about 7 minutes.

  6. Add the asparagus with a ladle of pasta cooking water. Stir and let the water boil off.

  7. Add the shrimp and the sugar snap pea pods at the same time. Toss and cook for about 3 minutes, until the shrimp is curled, opaque and pink.

  8. Remove from heat and toss the pasta into the vegetables. Stir in the basil. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and taste for more salt, freshly ground black pepper or lemon juice. Remember you will be adding goat cheese in addition to greens.

  9. Serve the dish by piling a small mound of arugula (or other baby greens) and topping with the pasta, shrimp and veggies. Sprinkle crumbled goat cheese over this and enjoy! 

Recipe Notes

If you have leftovers, store the pasta separately from the greens to avoid wilting the greens.