Quick Lemon Arugula Pasta Salad (Printable)

Zesty pasta with peppery arugula, fresh vegetables, and bright lemon dressing. Ready in 20 minutes.

# What you'll 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)

# Directions:

01 - Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking; set aside.
02 - In a large serving bowl, whisk together lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic, honey, salt, and pepper to make the dressing.
03 - Add the cooked pasta, arugula, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and red onion to the bowl. Toss gently to coat everything in the dressing.
04 - Top salad with crumbled feta and toasted pine nuts if using. Serve immediately or chill for up to 2 hours before serving.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • Its ready in 20 minutes but tastes like you spent way more effort
  • The lemon dressing wakes up everything without being overwhelming
  • Cold pasta never tasted this vibrant and fresh
02 -
  • Rinse the pasta thoroughly or it keeps cooking and turns mushy
  • The arugula wilts if dressed too far ahead, add it last if meal prepping
  • Letting it sit for 15 minutes lets flavors marry beautifully
03 -
  • Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan until golden for maximum flavor
  • Let the dressed pasta rest 10 minutes before adding arugula

Return