Quick Lemon Arugula Pasta (Printable)
Zesty pasta with peppery arugula, fresh vegetables, and bright lemon dressing
# 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 - Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking process.
02 - In a large serving bowl, whisk together lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic, honey, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
03 - Add cooked pasta, arugula, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and red onion to the bowl. Toss gently until evenly coated with dressing.
04 - Sprinkle crumbled feta and toasted pine nuts over the salad if desired. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 hours before serving.
# Helpful Tips:
01 -
- It comes together in twenty minutes flat, which means you're eating while everyone else is still chopping vegetables
- The lemony dressing wakes up everything it touches, making even simple ingredients taste like they're fresh from a garden
02 -
- Rinsing the pasta under cold water is what keeps it from turning into a sticky mass, so don't skip that step
- The salad tastes best after sitting for about fifteen minutes, giving the flavors time to really know each other
03 -
- Use a microplane or zester to get every bit of lemon flavor without any bitter pith
- Taste the dressing before tossing it with everything, adjusting the acid or salt until it sings