This speedy lemon pasta salad is easy to make and super delicious! Bright lemon dressed pasta is paired with arugula, parmesan, pistachio, and red onion for a super flavorful side salad that’s sure to have you going back for seconds!
I whipped up this easy peasy lemon squeezy pasta salad at Paul’s request this weekend and it was absolutely delicious! Basically anything that has us shoveling forkfuls in our faces at record speed deserves a spot on the blog and this salad did exactly that.
I’m not sure we even spoke until our forks were down. It was the perfect little faceplant after a morning of cleaning out the garage.
I kept the recipe super basic because not every salad needs to have a mile long list of ingredients to be delicious. You’ll use mostly pantry staples plus the addition of some fresh lemons, arugula, red onion, and parmesan cheese.
The flavors are bright and fresh and pair so wonderfully together!
Serving Suggestions
This pretty pasta salad makes an excellent side for a sandwich or veggie burger! Here are a few of my favorites:
- Garden Veggie Chickpea Salad Sandwich
- Homemade White Bean Burgers
- Spinach and Avocado Grilled Cheese
- Triple-Bean Veggie Burgers
Need to swap an ingredient?
If you don’t have arugula on hand, this salad is wonderful with kale!
I’ve also made this salad with feta in place of the parmesan cheese and it’s positively delish.
For an allergy friendly alternative to nuts, try this salad with roasted sunflower seeds or pepitas instead. They both add wonderful texture and crunch.
Q: Can I make this Pasta Salad in Advance?
You can absolutely meal prep this salad if needed, with one small trick. Save the arugula and chopped pistachio to add just before serving this way the arugula stays fresh without wilting and the roasted pistachios stay crunchy. The pasta, parmesan, onions, and dressing can all be mixed up together and stored in the fridge for a few days.
Lemon Pasta salad with Arugula and Parmesan
This rockin’ recipe serves 4-6 as a side salad. Paul and I split the entire bowl for lunch and regret nothing! I’m so excited for y’all to try this dish!
Lemon Pasta salad with Arugula and Parmesan
Ingredients
- 8 oz bowtie pasta (farfalle)
- 3-4 oz arugula
- ⅓ cup chopped pistachio nuts
- ½ cup sliced red onion
- ⅓ cup thinly sliced parmesan cheese or crumbled feta
LEMON DRESSING
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice from 1 large or 2 small lemons
- ¼ tsp lemon zest plus any extra to taste
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 TBSP dijon mustard
- 2 cloves garlic
- ¼ tsp dried oregano leaves
- ¼ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp black pepper
- 1-2 tsp optional sweetener (honey, sugar, agave)
Instructions
FIRST COOK THE PASTA
- Cook pasta via package instructions. For farfalle you’ll boil the pasta in water for approx. 12-14 minutes until al dente. Smaller pasta shapes will cook a bit faster.
NEXT MAKE THE DRESSING
- While the pasta cooks, make the dressing. Zest 1/4 tsp of lemon zest (or a little more if you want it extra lemon-y) and add to a small mason jar. Juice your lemons to yield 1/4 cup of juice and add to the jar.
- Peel, smash and mince garlic. Add the remaining dressing ingredients (minus the optional honey/sugar) and close lid tightly. Shake to emulsify the dressing. Give it a little taste (I like to dip some arugula in the dressing to try it) and sweeten if desired.
BREAK OUT THAT SALAD BOWL!
- Wash and dry arugula then give it a rough chop for more bite-sized pieces or leave whole if preferred. Add to a large salad bowl.
- Thinly slice the red onion. For less of a onion-y bite, you can add it to the dressing jar to let them marinate for a few minutes. The result is delicious!
- Thinly slice and chop parmesan cheese or crumble feta. Both cheeses work marvelous in this salad! Chop shelled pistachio nuts and set aside.
- Once your pasta is perfectly tender, strain in a colander and run cold water to halt the cooking process and chill the pasta slightly. Then add the drained pasta to the arugula.
- Shake the mason jar with the dressing once more and pour over the salad. Mix well to coat.
- Lastly add the cheese and nuts gently fold into the salad. Give it a taste and add any extra salt and pepper desired. (I always add an extra pinch of each) Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Awesome Extras to Amp Up Your Salad
If you do decide to let some extra veggies in on the fun (and clean out that crisper drawer!) here are some delicious options:
- finely chopped broccoli
- tomatoes
- green olives
- sweet corn
- avocado
- chopped bell peppers or sliced sweet mini peppers
- kale (an awesome swap for arugula if needed)
- feta cheese (a fab swap for the parmesan)
If you are making this salad a meal and crave a T-Rex twist to add some more protein, try it with shredded rotisserie chicken. For a vegetarian protein boost, chickpeas or white beans are delicious additions!
Q: What pasta shapes can I use if I don’t have farfalle?
A variety of small pasta shapes work marvelous here! If you don’t have bowtie, try it with shells, elbow macaroni, orzo, ditalini, cavatappi, or rotini pasta. You can even use cheese tortellini if you’d like!
If you get a chance to try this delicious lemon pasta salad recipe, let me know!
Leave me a comment or review using the form below. I’m always so excited to hear from you!
