Simple Creamy Lemon Pasta Salad
This creamy lemon pasta salad is the sunshine your lunch routine has been waiting for. Creamy, zingy, fresh, and protein-packed, it’s everything we love about warm-weather eating with way more staying power than your average side dish. One bite and you’ll see why we can’t stop making it!
Ingredients
- 8 oz. pasta short varieties like penne, bowtie, or rotini
- 1 (15.5-oz) can white beans drained and rinsed
- 3 cups bagged salad mix I like the “garden salad” varieties
- 3 cups baby arugula
For the creamy lemon dressing (you will probably have extra):
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil double the silken tofu for oil-free
- 1/4 cup silken tofu
- 4 large cloves garlic
- 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
- 2 Tbsp white miso paste
- 1 Tbsp Dijon
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the box directions for al dente. When finished, drain and spray with cold water. Let cool fully.
- Make the dressing by blending all the ingredients in a blender or food processor for 1 full minute until smooth and shiny.
- Add the pasta, white beans, salad mix, and arugula to a large bowl and toss to combine.
- Then, add half the dressing along with the salt and white pepper and toss again to combine.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. If you want a heavier dressing, feel free to toss in more of that as well! T likes a light coating, whereas I’m more of a “gimme all you got” type of mindset!
Video
Notes
- Storage: Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 3–5 days. The greens hold up shockingly well, and the flavor gets even better as it sits. A high-quality airtight container helps with this. We love the Rubbermaid Brilliance containers!
- Oil-free lemon pasta salad: Omit the olive oil and double the silken tofu for a lighter, oil-free version that still feels indulgent.
- No tofu? No problem. Just double the olive oil instead!
- Make it gluten-free: Any gluten-free short pasta will work here!
- Want more protein? Use a protein-rich pasta like Banza or Barilla Protein+ and/or double the white beans. You can also choose the oil-free option which will up the protein in the dressing itself!
Nutrition
Serving: 1/6 the recipeCalories: 265kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 8gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gSodium: 623mgPotassium: 265mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 471IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 39mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!