Quick Lemon Arugula Pasta (Printable)
Zesty pasta salad with peppery arugula, lemon, vegetables, and optional feta. 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 Tips:
01 -
- The lemon dressing wakes up everything it touches, turning simple pasta into something you will actually crave
- It comes together faster than you can decide whether to order takeout
02 -
- Rinse the pasta thoroughly under cold water or the residual heat will wilt the arugula into something sad and limp
- The salad needs at least 15 minutes of resting time to let the dressing soak into the pasta properly
03 -
- Toast your pine nuts in a dry pan over medium heat until golden and fragrant, watching constantly because they go from perfect to burned in seconds
- Use a microplane or fine grater for the lemon zest to avoid any bitter white pith