Quick Lemon Arugula Pasta Salad (Printable Version)

Zesty, refreshing pasta with peppery arugula and bright citrus flavors.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 9 oz short pasta (penne, fusilli, or farfalle)

→ Greens & Vegetables

02 - 3 cups fresh arugula
03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1 small cucumber, diced
05 - 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced

→ Dressing

06 - Zest and juice of 1 large lemon
07 - 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
08 - 1 garlic clove, minced
09 - 1 tsp honey or agave syrup
10 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Toppings

11 - 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)
12 - 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts or slivered almonds (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Boil pasta in salted water until al dente per package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water to halt cooking.
02 - Whisk together lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic, honey, salt, and pepper in a large serving bowl.
03 - Add cooked pasta, arugula, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and red onion to the bowl. Toss gently until evenly coated with dressing.
04 - Sprinkle with crumbled feta and toasted pine nuts if desired. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 2 hours before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Comes together in 20 minutes flat when you need something impressive but effortless
  • The pasta absorbs all that zesty dressing while staying perfectly crisp
  • Works for lunch dinner or as a make ahead side that actually gets better with time
02 -
  • Rinsing the pasta under cold water is non negotiable it stops the cooking and prevents gummy texture
  • The dressing might feel thick at first but the pasta releases starch as it sits and creates this perfect creamy coating
  • Red onion can be intense if you are sensitive soak the slices in ice water for 10 minutes before adding
03 -
  • Use a microplane for the lemon zest to avoid any bitter white pith
  • Let the dressed pasta sit for at least 10 minutes before serving so those flavors really marry

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