This simple pasta salad is a big bowl of my favorite ingredients—peppery arugula, chewy pasta, creamy goat cheese, lemon and tomatoes. It requires minimal preparation, yet the ingredients are so flavorful that it tastes gourmet.
This arugula pasta salad recipe is a wonderful potluck side dish, packs great for picnics, and keeps well in the refrigerator for several days. As long as you appreciate its bold flavors, I’m sure you’ll love it!
The recipe was passed down through friends well over ten years ago, and it became an instant favorite. I enjoyed it so much that I shared it on the blog and then perfected the recipe for my cookbook. You can find the updated recipe below with new photos.
Pasta Tips
To infuse your salad with flavor, be sure to salt the pasta cooking water generously—it should taste salty. Before draining the pasta, reserve some of the pasta cooking water in a liquid measuring cup. The starchy water turns the goat cheese into a creamy sauce.
Serving Suggestions
To round out your picnic, consider serving this salad with my French Carrot Salad, plus Green Goddess Hummus, raw veggies like cucumbers, and sliced cheese or a simplified cheese board.
You can find more picnic-ready recipes here.
More Pasta Salads to Enjoy
I love adding al dente pasta to fresh salads. Here are a few great combinations:
Please let me know how your salad turns out in the comments! I love hearing from you.
Arugula Pasta Salad with Goat Cheese
This simple pasta salad is a big bowl of my favorite things—pasta, arugula, goat cheese, lemon and cherry tomatoes. Combined, they yield the most gourmet of pasta salads. Recipe yields 4 medium salads or 6 side salads.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat. Cook the pasta until it is al dente, according to the package directions. Before draining, reserve about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta and pour it into a large serving bowl.
- Sprinkle the crumbled goat cheese over the pasta, then drizzle in the olive oil and lemon juice. Sprinkle the salt, pepper flakes, and several twists of black pepper on top. Pour about ⅓ cup of the reserved pasta cooking water over the pasta and toss until the pasta is evenly coated.
- Add the arugula, cherry tomatoes, and olives (if using) and toss to combine. If the pasta seems dry, add small splashes of cooking water and toss until it’s nice and creamy. Taste and adjust if necessary—add more olive oil for richness, lemon juice for extra zing, and salt and/or pepper for seasoning. Serve immediately.
- This salad is best consumed soon after making, but it keeps well, chilled, for 2 to 3 days. I like to gently reheat my leftover salad for just a few seconds in the microwave, which loosens up the goat cheese again.
Notes
Make it dairy free/vegan: Substitute ½ cup vegan sour cream for the goat cheese, which is similarly creamy and tangy. You may not need to add any pasta cooking water.
Make it tomato free: Substitute one large roasted red pepper for the cherry tomatoes.
Make it gluten free: Substitute a sturdy gluten-free pasta, such as a corn and quinoa blend.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
