Description
A festive and flavorful Christmas Pasta Salad featuring roasted cinnamon sweet potatoes, colorful Christmas-shaped pasta, crisp apples, creamy white cheddar, dried cranberries, walnuts, and fresh arugula, all tossed in a tangy maple balsamic dressing perfect for holiday gatherings.
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 your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a sheet pan with non-stick spray. Set it aside for roasting the sweet potatoes.
- 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 diced sweet potatoes evenly on the prepared sheet pan and roast in the oven for 35 minutes. Once done, remove and let them cool completely.
- Cook pasta: Boil the Christmas-shaped pasta according to the package directions. Drain the pasta and allow it to cool.
- 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 cheese, dried cranberries, chopped walnuts, finely diced red onion, and baby arugula.
- Toss salad: Pour the prepared dressing over the salad and toss everything together until all ingredients are evenly coated.
- Serve: Serve the Christmas Pasta Salad immediately for the best fresh flavor and texture.
Notes
- Roasting the sweet potatoes ahead of time allows the cinnamon to infuse nicely and adds a warm flavor.
- You can substitute kale or spinach for baby arugula if desired.
- Use gluten-free pasta to make the salad gluten free.
- If you prefer a vegetarian version, ensure the cheese is vegetarian-friendly or substitute with a plant-based cheese.
- The salad can be chilled for up to 1 day before serving but may be best served fresh for optimal texture.
- Adjust salt in dressing to taste, especially if your cheese is salty.
- For extra crunch, toast the walnuts lightly before adding.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
