Description

This Hot Honey Pasta Salad Recipe combines tender pasta, juicy tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, pepperoni, arugula, and basil with a sweet, spicy, and tangy honey dressing. It works well for lunches, potlucks, picnics, BBQs, and easy make-ahead meals.

Ingredients

Scale

Dressing:

3/4 cup light olive oil

1/3 cup honey

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon dried thyme

1 tablespoon red pepper flakes, adjusted to taste

1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Salad:

1 pound medium pasta, preferably bowtie or farfalle, or penne

2 cups cherry tomatoes

8 ounces mozzarella pearls, drained

4 ounces mini pepperoni slices

1 1/2 cups baby arugula

1/2 cup fresh basil

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until just tender according to the package directions.

2. Drain the pasta, then rinse it briefly under cool water. Let it cool slightly.

3. Add the light olive oil, honey, lemon juice, oregano, thyme, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper to a large mixing bowl.

4. Whisk the dressing until the honey blends fully with the oil and lemon juice.

5. Add the slightly cooled pasta to the bowl. Toss until the dressing coats the pasta evenly.

6. Fold in the cherry tomatoes, mozzarella pearls, mini pepperoni slices, baby arugula, and fresh basil.

7. Cover and chill the pasta salad for at least 2 hours for the best flavor.

8. Stir well before serving. Serve chilled, or serve immediately if preferred.

Notes

Use a large mixing bowl so you can combine the ingredients easily.

Let the pasta cool before adding the mozzarella, arugula, and basil. Hot pasta can melt the cheese and wilt the greens.

Use ripe cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, and good-quality mozzarella for the best flavor.

Adjust the red pepper flakes to make the dressing milder or spicier.

Bowtie pasta works especially well, although penne, rotini, fusilli, and other medium pasta shapes also work.

You can replace the arugula with fresh spinach.

To make the salad one day ahead, toss the warm pasta with the dressing and refrigerate it overnight. Add the remaining ingredients before serving.

You can also prepare the full salad without the arugula, then stir in the arugula just before serving.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.

Stir the salad before serving because the dressing may settle at the bottom.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Category: Salad, Side Dish
Method: Boiling, Mixing
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 791
Sugar: 19 g
Sodium: 652 mg
Fat: 45 g
Saturated Fat: 10 g
Unsaturated Fat: 28 g
Trans Fat: 0.3 g
Carbohydrates: 78 g
Fiber: 4 g
Protein: 22 g
Cholesterol: 32 mg