Description
A festive and flavorful Christmas Pasta Salad featuring roasted cinnamon sweet potatoes, Christmas-shaped pasta, crisp apples, white cheddar cheese, and a tangy balsamic dressing with a hint of maple syrup. Perfect as a vibrant holiday side dish or light meal.
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. Spray a sheet pan with non-stick spray and set aside.
- Prepare sweet potatoes: Peel and dice the sweet potatoes, then transfer them to a bowl. Toss the sweet potato cubes with cinnamon until evenly coated.
- Roast sweet potatoes: Spread the sweet potatoes evenly on the prepared sheet pan. Roast in the oven for 35 minutes until tender. Remove and let cool.
- Cook pasta: Boil pasta according to the instructions on the package until al dente. Drain and allow the pasta to cool completely.
- Make dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, maple syrup, and salt until the dressing is well combined. Set aside.
- Combine salad ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the cooled roasted sweet potatoes, cooked pasta, diced apple, cubed white cheddar cheese, dried cranberries, chopped walnuts, finely diced red onion, and baby arugula.
- Toss with dressing: Pour the prepared dressing over the combined salad ingredients. Toss gently until everything is evenly coated with the dressing.
- Serve: Serve the Christmas Pasta Salad immediately for best freshness and flavor.
Notes
- Roasting the sweet potatoes enhances their natural sweetness and adds a warm, cozy flavor.
- Use Christmas-shaped pasta for a festive touch, but any small shaped pasta works well.
- For a nut-free version, omit walnuts or substitute with pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds.
- If you prefer a milder onion flavor, soak diced red onion in cold water for 10 minutes before adding to the salad.
- The salad can be made ahead by roasting the sweet potatoes and cooking the pasta in advance; store them separately and combine just before serving.
- This salad is best served fresh but will keep refrigerated for up to 24 hours.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 300 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg
