Description
A festive and colorful Christmas Pasta Salad featuring roasted cinnamon-spiced sweet potatoes, seasonal fruits, crunchy walnuts, and a tangy balsamic dressing, perfect for holiday gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad
- 2 cups diced sweet potatoes
- 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 chopped walnuts
- 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 your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a sheet pan with non-stick spray, then set it 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 sheet pan and roast in the oven for 35 minutes until tender and slightly caramelized. Allow to cool completely.
- Cook Pasta: Boil the pasta according to package directions, then drain and let cool to room temperature.
- 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, combine the cooled roasted sweet potatoes, cooled cooked pasta, diced apple, cubed white cheddar, dried cranberries, chopped walnuts, finely diced red onion, and baby arugula.
- Toss Salad: Pour the dressing over the salad mixture and toss thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly coated.
- Serve: Serve the salad immediately for the best fresh flavor and texture.
Notes
- Allow the roasted sweet potatoes and pasta to cool completely to prevent the arugula from wilting in the salad.
- For a nuttier flavor, toast the walnuts lightly before adding them.
- Substitute white cheddar with a vegan cheese for a dairy-free version, keeping in mind the diet classification will change.
- This salad can be made a few hours in advance; store it covered in the refrigerator and toss before serving.
- Use gluten-free pasta if a gluten-free version is desired.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 8 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
