This easy spring vegetable pasta salad is perfect for picnics or as a side for your warm-weather favorites. Spring veggies like peas and asparagus combine with bacon, pasta, chicken stock, and sour cream for a creamy pasta salad that\u2019s delicious warm or cold.<\/p>\n
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\n<\/picture>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\nI love this time of year \u2013 the weather\u2019s warming up and summer is just around the corner! And since I know we\u2019ll be retreating to the A\/C as soon as that hot weather hits here in South Carolina, I try to take advantage of our beautiful spring weather for picnics!<\/p>\n
Just like our simple camping menu<\/a>, our family picnics are usually pretty basic \u2013 I toss some sliced cheese, crackers<\/a>, raw veggies, fruit, and nuts into my basket and we head to the park. But often, this means requests for more food the minute we get home.<\/p>\n When a snacky lunch isn\u2019t enough, an easy but satisfying dish like cold pasta salad can help fill everyone up and keep me from having to make another meal once we\u2019re back at the house!<\/p>\n Make-ahead recipes are my go-to and now I can add this frugal spring vegetable pasta salad to the list!<\/p>\n I love making this spring vegetable pasta salad for parties, a simple family picnic, or an easy weeknight dinner. Here\u2019s why:<\/p>\n This vegetable pasta salad comes together with a few simple ingredients:<\/p>\n You can also add fresh herbs like dill, parsley, or rosemary for garden fresh flavor!<\/p>\n If you\u2019re going to use salt, make sure it\u2019s a good one like Ava Jane\u2019s Kitchen that doesn\u2019t have microplastics<\/a>! You can get a free 8oz. bag of sea salt right now (just pay shipping and handling!).<\/em><\/p>\n Making vegetable pasta salads is simple!<\/p>\n Step 1. In a large skillet<\/a>, cook the bacon<\/strong> until crisp. Transfer it to a plate, leaving the drippings in the pan.<\/p>\n Step 2. Cook the garlic in the bacon grease until fragrant, <\/strong>stirring often, for about 1-2 minutes.<\/p>\n Step 3. Add the chicken stock<\/a> <\/strong>and bring to a boil, then add the pasta. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the skillet, and cook until al dente (8-10 minutes).<\/p>\n Step 4. Add the frozen peas and asparagus tips. <\/strong>Cook until both are bright green and al dente, then season with salt<\/a> and black pepper to taste.<\/p>\n Step 5. Gently whisk<\/a> in sour cream and cooked bacon. <\/strong>Season with additional sea salt and pepper if needed, and top with grated Parmesan just before serving.<\/p>\n Store spring vegetable and pasta salad in an airtight container<\/a> in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Serve cold or reheat for a warm, creamy vegetable pasta salad.<\/p>\n If you would rather have a meatless pasta salad, you can make a few simple swaps.<\/p>\n You can also add more veggies! Along with the peas and asparagus, try these pasta salad vegetables:<\/p>\n Or check out this guide to spring vegetables<\/a> for more ideas!<\/p>\n This vegetable and pasta salad makes a perfect light meal on its own. Or serve it as a side with one of these:<\/p>\n Although you get some protein from the bacon in this pasta salad with veggies, you may find yourself wanting more nutrition, especially if you\u2019re eating this as your main meal.<\/p>\n You can add protein directly to the pasta salad:<\/p>\n Or you can serve the vegetable pasta salad recipe alongside a portion of lean protein.<\/p>\n Absolutely! And it can be served cold or heated up and served warm. This makes it perfect for taking to picnics, potlucks, or simply making in advance for dinner if you have a busy day ahead.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n You can use gluten-free pasta like rotini for this spring vegetable pasta salad. Make sure you fully cook the pasta (just past al dente) so that it doesn\u2019t get crunchy and dried out when refrigerated.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n I don\u2019t recommend freezing this salad once it\u2019s prepared, but you can freeze the pasta ahead of time and thaw it when you\u2019re ready to make this salad. Here\u2019s my tutorial for how to freeze cooked pasta<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Sign up for my FREE Fight Inflation Workshop<\/strong>\u00a0and learn simple strategies to save money, even with rising food costs!\n\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\nSPRING VEGETABLE PASTA SALAD<\/h2>\n
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INGREDIENTS FOR PASTA SALAD WITH VEGGIES<\/h2>\n
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HOW TO MAKE SPRING VEGETABLE PASTA SALADS<\/h2>\n
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MEATLESS PASTA SALAD<\/h2>\n
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SERVE WITH VEGETABLE PASTA SALAD<\/h2>\n
ADD PROTEIN TO VEGETABLE PASTA SALAD<\/h2>\n
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VEGETABLE AND PASTA SALAD FAQS<\/h2>\n
Is this spring vegetable pasta salad recipe good as a make-ahead meal?<\/h3>\n
Can you make gluten free pasta salads with vegetables?<\/h3>\n
Can you freeze pasta salad with spring vegetables?<\/h3>\n
MORE PASTA SALAD RECIPES<\/h2>\n
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Fight Inflation Workshop!<\/h4>\n