MARTHASTEWART.COM

Pasta Salad with Goat Cheese and Arugula

You can prep the components of this pasta salad in advance -- toss together just before serving. The spicy arugula, creamy goat cheese, and a touch of Dijon mustard give the dish plenty of flavor.
Everyday Food, June 2009
  • Prep Time 10 minutes
  • Total Time 25 minutes
  • Yield Serves 4
Add to Shopping List

Ingredients

  • Coarse salt and ground pepper
  • 3/4 pound gemelli or other short pasta
  • 1 can (15 ounces) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
  • 3/4 cup crumbled fresh goat cheese (3 ounces)
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 bunch arugula (8 ounces), torn
  • 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

Directions

  1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente. Drain pasta and rinse under cold water. In a large bowl, toss pasta with beans and goat cheese.

  2. Make dressing: In a bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, and mustard and season with salt and pepper. (To store, refrigerate pasta mixture and dressing separately, up to 1 day.) To serve, toss pasta mixture with dressing, arugula, and onion.

Recipe Reviews

  • GirlArizona
    9 Jul, 2012

    One of the best pasta salad recipes ever! So simple to make! I change measurements for ease. I find it important to cook pasta al dente for this recipe to really shine! I use a box of pasta (16oz) and add 1 increment to everything else. 2 cans beans, 4oz goat cheese, 4T oil, 3T vinegar, 3Tsp mustard, 1/2Tsp salt, 1/4Tsp pepper, onion as indicated. I buy a 5oz box of arugula, much more convenient, and although it's not the amount called for it is plenty. Goat cheese and arugula lovers try this!

  • GleeWithThree
    9 Aug, 2011

    Delicious! We switched out the goat cheese for blue cheese, and it was equally good. Enjoy!

  • gonow
    12 May, 2010

    I wish they would include the nutrition info. with these recipes. Of course, it might make some of us not want to eat it. This sounds really good, though, and I do plan to try it.

  • hcabats
    7 Jul, 2009

    this was super easy and so yummy! i'm a pretty simple and picky eater and would make this again and again and it would be great for a party too! my kids even tolerated it...yeah!

  • jingosales
    21 Jun, 2009

    Thank you

  • phil46
    17 Jun, 2009

    Arugula is also known as rugola, rucola, roquette, garden rocket, Mediterranean rocket, salad rocket, Roman rocket, or Italian cress (the rockets being a corruption of the French roquette).

  • jingosales
    17 Jun, 2009

    I'm English, can anyone tell me what arugula is in England!

  • jfisher
    15 Jun, 2009

    This is s delicious salad that's a nice change from typical pasta salads.