VEGETARIAN ITALIAN PASTA SALAD WITH ARUGULA

Vegetarian Italian Pasta Salad with Arugula image

This Italian pasta salad features all the caprese ingredients and then some - mozzarella, tomatoes, basil, plus artichoke hearts and arugula. The arugula adds great color and freshness to the salad. I love to make it for a barbeque or as a cold lunch on a hot day.

Provided by fleischlosglücklich

Categories Salad Pasta Salad Vegetarian Pasta Salad Recipes

Time 3h30m

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 12

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Ingredients

1 (16 ounce) box penne pasta
4 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons maple syrup
2 cloves garlic, grated
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
5 tomatoes, chopped
1 (15 ounce) can artichoke hearts, well drained and quartered
1 (8 ounce) package fresh mozzarella cheese, cubed
½ bunch basil, chopped
4 cups arugula

Steps:

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add penne and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes.
Prepare the dressing while penne is cooking. Whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and maple syrup in a small bowl until well combined. Stir in grated garlic. Mix in mustard and season with salt and pepper.
Drain penne and transfer to a large bowl. Mix in 1/2 of the dressing. Allow to cool for 1 hour.
Mix tomatoes, artichoke hearts, mozzarella cheese, and basil into the penne. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
Mix in remaining dressing and arugula right before serving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 407.2 calories, Carbohydrate 58.1 g, Cholesterol 17.9 mg, Fat 12.8 g, Fiber 5.2 g, Protein 17.5 g, SaturatedFat 4.1 g, Sodium 580.5 mg, Sugar 10.4 g