Description
A refreshing pasta salad featuring vibrant arugula, zesty lemon, and crunchy walnuts, perfect for warm days or as a light side dish.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 oz pasta (farfalle, orzo, or your favorite short pasta)
- 3.5 oz fresh arugula
- ½ cup walnuts (finely chopped)
- ⅓ cup finely grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese
- 1 lemon (juice and zest)
- 8 Tb olive oil
- 1 Tb white balsamic vinegar
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 Tb capers + 1 tsp brine
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 6 basil leaves (chiffonade, optional)
Instructions
- Cook your pasta in salted boiling water just until tender, slightly softer than al dente. Once done, drain and rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking process and wash off excess starch.
- In a large bowl, whisk together lemon juice, lemon zest, white balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, capers, and chopped walnuts. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking until everything is well combined.
- Add the cooled, rinsed pasta into the bowl with the lemon dressing. Toss gently so every piece gets coated with that bright, tangy dressing.
- Finally, toss in the fresh arugula and basil (if using). The arugula will wilt slightly from the warm pasta and absorb all those citrusy flavors.
Notes
Cool pasta completely before adding to dressing to avoid wilting greens. For nut allergies, substitute with seeds.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 250mg
- Fat: 19g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 9g
- Cholesterol: 10mg