This Creamy Asparagus Pasta Salad comes with an extra punch of flavor from fresh lemon juice and makes a perfect spring side dish. Add grilled chicken and it could be a meal all on it’s own.

1 pound uncooked pasta, such as penne or rotini

1 pound asparagus

1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1/2 large red onion, thinly sliced

10 ounces greek yogurt

4-5 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper

zest from 1 lemon

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Place all the ingredients for the dressing in a jar and screw on lid.  Shake jar vigorously until ingredients are well combined. Taste and adjust quantities as desired. Set the dressing aside. To Make Pasta Salad: Remove the tough stems of the asparagus then cut each spear into 2-inch pieces. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for 11 minutes, then add the asparagus to the boiling water and cook with pasta for another 2 minutes. Drain the pasta and asparagus then rinse it with cold water until cooled; allow drain well. Transfer pasta and asparagus to a large bowl, gently stir in tomatoes and onions.  Toss with dressing, cover and refrigerate a few hours or over night. Serve cold or room temperature. Enjoy!