Quick Lemon Arugula Pasta (Printable Version)

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

# 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:

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

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The lemony dressing wakes up everything it touches without being too acidic
  • It comes together faster than you can preheat your oven
  • The peppery arugula balances perfectly with sweet cherry tomatoes
02 -
  • Rinsing pasta with cold water is crucial here or you will end up with mushy salad
  • The dressing needs to hit the pasta while it is still slightly warm to absorb properly
  • Red onion can be overpowering so slice it paper thin
03 -
  • Toasting the pine nuts in a dry pan for two minutes deepens their flavor tremendously
  • Let the salad sit for fifteen minutes before serving so the flavors can mingle

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