Description
This festive Christmas Pasta Salad combines roasted cinnamon-spiced sweet potatoes, Christmas-shaped pasta, crisp apples, sharp white cheddar, dried cranberries, crunchy walnuts, and peppery baby arugula, all tossed in a tangy balsamic maple dressing. A perfect holiday side dish bursting with seasonal flavors and textures.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad
- 2 sweet potatoes, diced and roasted
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 8 oz cooked pasta, Christmas shapes
- 1 Honey Crisp apple, diced
- 6 oz white cheddar cheese, cubed
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
- 1/2 small red onion, finely diced
- 2 handfuls baby arugula
Dressing
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a sheet pan with non-stick spray; set aside.
- Prepare Sweet Potatoes: Peel and dice the sweet potatoes, then toss them in a bowl with cinnamon until evenly coated.
- Roast Sweet Potatoes: Spread the sweet potatoes evenly on the prepared pan and roast for 35 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
- Cook Pasta: Boil the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and allow it to cool completely.
- Make Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, maple syrup, and salt until well combined; set aside.
- Combine Salad Ingredients: In a large bowl, add the cooled roasted sweet potatoes, cooled pasta, diced apple, cubed cheese, dried cranberries, chopped walnuts, finely diced red onion, and baby arugula.
- Toss Salad: Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients and mix gently but thoroughly until everything is evenly coated.
- Serve: Serve the salad immediately or chill slightly before serving if desired.
Notes
- Use Christmas-shaped pasta or any fun-shaped pasta to keep the holiday theme festive.
- Roast sweet potatoes until tender and caramelized for best flavor.
- Allow the pasta and sweet potatoes to cool completely to prevent the salad from becoming soggy.
- Substitute walnuts with pecans or almonds if preferred.
- For a dairy-free option, omit the cheddar cheese or use a vegan cheese alternative.
- The salad can be prepared a few hours ahead and refrigerated; add arugula fresh before serving to keep it crisp.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
