Description
I adore this vibrant, veggie-packed pasta salad perfect for quick lunches and potlucks! It's loaded with sweet tomatoes, crisp cucumber, arugula, and creamy feta all tossed in a bright lemon basil dressing--no mayo needed. (Bonus that it has tons of texture and holds up beautifully in the fridge!) Make it main-worthy with higher protein pasta, add chickpeas, or serve alongside grilled chicken.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 12 oz box pasta, like curly macaroni, bow tie, rotini, etc.
- 1 1/2 cups diced persian cucumber
- 1 1/2 cups (10oz) grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 cups arugula
- 1/3 cup basil, thinly sliced
- 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled (I recommend getting a block vs pre-crumbled, so much better!)
For the lemon basil dressing:
- 1 cup fresh basil (.75 oz)
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp water
- 2 tsp honey
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt (+ freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook noodles in a large pot of salted water per the package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, make lemon basil dressing by combining all the dressing ingredients in a blender or Nutribullet until smooth.
- Place drained and cooled noodles in a large mixing bowl. Add cucumber, tomatoes, arugula, basil, and feta.
- Drizzle with dressing and toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. I like to serve mine with a sprinkle of red pepper flakes. Serve chilled! This is also delish with chickpeas or chicken for lunch. Store covered in the fridge for up to 3 days!