My Spring Pasta Salad with Honey Sumac Dressing is bright, herb-forward, tangy, and filled with fresh spring produce: asparagus, peas, spinach, dill, parsley, and mint. It comes together quickly and makes a great light lunch, a dinner side, or a make-ahead meal for the week.
Enjoy it alongside a grilled main or as part of a picnic spread. It pairs especially well with recipes such as Greek Chicken Souvlaki or Grilled Salmon Skewers.
Spring Pasta Salad: Recipe at a Glance
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
25 mins
Servings
6 Servings
Calories*
388 kcal
Difficulty
Easy
Main Ingredients
Short pasta, peas, asparagus, radishes, baby spinach, fresh herbs, feta cheese, pistachios, olive oil, lemon, sumac and garlic.
Technique
Boil pasta and vegetables together, whisk a simple dressing, and toss to assemble.
*Nutrition values are estimates
Table of Contents
- Spring Pasta Salad: Recipe at a Glance
- Why This Recipe Works
- Ingredients
- How to Make this Spring Pasta Salad Recipe
- Pairing and Menu Ideas
- Expert Tips and Notes
- Spring Pasta Salad Recipe FAQs
- Other Pasta Salad Recipes
- Recipe Card: Spring Pasta Salad with Honey Sumac Dressing
Why This Recipe Works
- Simple and fast: Pasta, asparagus, and peas cook together in one pot for an efficient workflow.
- Versatile pairings: This salad complements grilled mains, mezze plates, or a light weekday lunch.
- Tested: The recipe has been refined in a real kitchen to balance flavor and texture while limiting food waste.
Ingredients
This recipe celebrates seasonal spring produce. Feel free to adapt quantities or swap similar ingredients to suit your pantry and taste. Below are the core components:
- Short Pasta: Fusilli, orecchiette, farfalle or rotini are ideal—choose a shape that picks up dressing but isn’t overly bulky.
- Fresh Asparagus: Trim and cut into bite-sized pieces. Local spring asparagus is best when available.
- Peas: Fresh or frozen both work well; sliced snap peas are a nice substitute.
- Baby Spinach: Adds freshness and body; swap for arugula if you want peppery notes.
- Fresh Herbs: Dill, parsley and mint bring bright, Mediterranean flavor—use what you have.
- Radishes: Thinly sliced for crisp texture and color; omit if you prefer.
- Feta Cheese: Greek-style feta adds creaminess and a pleasant tang that balances the dressing.
- Pistachios: Roughly chopped for crunch; almonds or walnuts can be used instead.
- Sumac: A tart, citrus-like Middle Eastern spice—optional but highly recommended for its bright flavor.
See the recipe card below for exact quantities.
How to Make this Spring Pasta Salad Recipe
Step 1 — Cook pasta, asparagus and peas. Boil pasta in well-salted water until just al dente. Add asparagus and peas to the pot during the last 2–3 minutes of cooking. Drain and let cool slightly.
Step 2 — Make the dressing. Whisk extra virgin olive oil with lemon juice, lemon zest, honey, sumac, grated garlic, salt and pepper until emulsified and bright.
Step 3 — Assemble. In a large bowl, combine cooled pasta, tender asparagus, peas, baby spinach, chopped herbs, sliced radishes, crumbled feta and chopped pistachios.
Step 4 — Dress the salad. Pour the honey-sumac dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat. Taste and adjust seasoning with more lemon, salt, or sumac as desired.
Step 5 — Garnish and serve. Add extra pistachios and crumbled feta on top if you like. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.
Pairing and Menu Ideas
This spring pasta salad is a natural for warm-weather meals and grilling season. It complements grilled meats and fish—try it with beef shish kebabs, chicken souvlaki, grilled salmon skewers or lamb chops. It also works well alongside baked Mediterranean salmon, honey-harissa salmon, or flavorful meatballs.
For meal prep, portion the salad into containers and keep the dressing separate until you’re ready to eat; this preserves crunch and texture for a few days.
Expert Tips and Notes
- Dressing balance: The lemon, sumac and honey combo is bright and balanced—maple syrup or agave work as honey substitutes.
- Al dente pasta: Cook pasta to just al dente so it holds up when tossed and stored.
- Salt pasta water: Salt the boiling water to season the pasta from within; a modest amount is enough.
- Cool gently: Let pasta cool slightly before adding greens and herbs to avoid wilting. Do not rinse under cold water, which removes starch that helps the dressing cling.
- Reserve dressing: Keep a little extra dressing to refresh the salad before serving—pasta absorbs dressing over time.
- Toast nuts: Toast pistachios briefly for more flavor and crunch.
- Make-ahead: The salad keeps well if you store dressing separately and add it just before eating.
- Optional additions: Green onions, sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, or a pinch of red pepper flakes.
Spring Pasta Salad Recipe FAQs
Yes. Make it a few hours or the day before. For the best texture, hold back some dressing, herbs, pistachios and feta, then add them just before serving.
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Toss before serving and refresh with a splash of olive oil or lemon juice if needed.
Yes. Substitute your preferred gluten-free short pasta and monitor cooking time so it doesn’t become overly soft.
Absolutely. Use maple syrup instead of honey and either omit the feta or use a plant-based feta alternative.
Other Pasta Salad Recipes
Salads
Elote Pasta Salad (Inspired by Mexican Street Corn)
Salads
Mediterranean Pasta Salad Recipe
Salads
Chicken and Pesto Pasta Salad
Salads
Mediterranean Chickpea Pasta Salad
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Spring Pasta Salad with Honey Sumac Dressing
Ingredients
For the Cooked Part of the Salad
- 12 oz Short pasta – Orecchiette, fusilli, farfalle or other
- 1 bunch Asparagus (trimmed and cut into bite sized pieces)
- 1 cup Peas – Fresh or frozen
Honey Sumac Dressing
- ¼ cup Extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp Lemon juice – From one lemon
- 1 tbsp Lemon zest – From one lemon
- 1 tbsp Honey
- 1 tsp Sumac
- 1 Garlic clove (grated or minced)
- ½ tsp Salt – Adjust after tasting
- ¼ tsp Black pepper
For the Rest of the Salad
- 2 cups Baby spinach
- ¼ cup Fresh dill (chopped)
- ¼ cup Fresh parsley (chopped)
- 2 tbsp Fresh mint (chopped)
- 5 Radishes (thinly sliced)
- ¼ cup Feta (crumbled) – Use more if you like
- ¼ cup Pistachios (roughly chopped)
Instructions
-
Cook pasta, asparagus, and peas. Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. During the last 2–3 minutes of cooking, add the chopped asparagus and peas directly to the pasta water. Drain and let everything cool slightly.
-
Make the dressing. Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, honey, sumac, grated garlic, salt and black pepper until well combined.
-
Assemble. In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta, asparagus, peas, baby spinach, herbs, radishes, feta, and pistachios.
-
Dress. Pour the honey-sumac dressing over the salad and toss gently until evenly coated. Adjust seasoning to taste.
-
Garnish. Add extra nuts or crumbled feta before serving. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.
Notes
Key Ingredient Notes:
- Short Pasta: Choose a shape that picks up dressing without being too dense.
- Peas: Fresh or frozen are both fine; snap peas also work well.
- Baby Spinach: Adds freshness and nutrition; swap arugula for a peppery bite.
- Radishes: Thin slices give crisp texture and color; omit if preferred.
- Feta Cheese: A tangy Greek-style feta complements the salad’s brightness.
- Sumac: A tart, citrusy spice that brightens the dressing—optional but recommended.
Other Useful Tips:
- Cook to al dente: This ensures the pasta holds its shape when dressed and chilled.
- Do not rinse: Avoid rinsing pasta after draining so the dressing adheres better.
- Make-ahead: Store dressing separately and add before serving to preserve crunch.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
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