Source: Smitten Kitchen
Ingredients
- 1 pound box of pasta, rotini or preferred shape
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 pound bunch of asparagus, cut into 1″ long pieces
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 1 (5-ounce) log goat cheese
- Fresh herbs: dill, tarragon, parsley
Instructions
Cook pasta in salted water according to package directions. About 3 minutes before it is done cooking, add chopped asparagus to the pot. Drain pasta and asparagus in a colander, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.
While the pasta is cooking, combine olive oil, lemon zest and juice, fresh herbs, and goat cheese, broken up into pieces, in a large bowl. Stir to combine.
Once the pasta and asparagus are cooked and drained, add it while still hot to the bowl, tossing to combine. Add a couple splashes of the pasta water and keep mixing until a glossy, melty sauce is formed. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Rachel’s
Secrets of Success
I call this a picnic pasta salad because, like tortellini salad, you can make it ahead of time and serve it at room temperature, so it’s great to bring to an outdoor, pot-luck event. But it’s also delicious freshly cooked while still hot and creamy.
Use whatever fresh herbs you have on hand (I prefer dill, but parsley also works and the original recipe calls for tarragon), and swap in green beans, peas, or another green vegetable if you’d like.
Cooking with the Claremons 
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