Give your summer meals a fun twist with this tasty Hot Honey Pasta Salad Recipe. The star of this dish is the easy sweet and spicy dressing that gets tossed together with tender pasta, juicy cherry tomatoes, creamy mozzarella pearls, fresh basil and peppery arugula, and finished with pepperoni slices. A light and tasty addition to picnics, barbecues, and potlucks that's ready in just about 20 minutes!
Looking for more ways to use spicy honey? We've got a bunch of Hot Honey Recipes you'll love all year round!
Summertime is perfect for enjoying light and refreshing recipes! No wonder pasta salads are served at everything from picnics, barbecues, potlucks, and family dinners. This innovative new spin will transform your summer side dish game because it is:
- Original - There's nothing wrong with traditional pasta salads, but we've all been there, done that. The game-changer for this sweet and spicy pasta salad recipe is its dressing-a simple but irresistible mix of honey, spice, and herbs that brings all the ingredients together perfectly.
- Easy To Make - Just boil the noodles, cut the tomatoes in half, and toss everything in a big bowl. Anyone can do it, making it perfect for a quick and tasty meal.
- Can be made in advance - Perfect for busy summer weekends. Just add the arugula right before serving so it stays nice and fresh.
It's amazing what a homemade dressing recipe can do for almost anything. This Fruit Salad Dressing is only 4 ingredients but truly changes your plain fruit salad. This Greek Vinaigrette is one I must hand on hand when meal prepping these Grilled Chicken Gyros.
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Hot honey pasta salad ingredients
This recipe only requires a few ingredients! Most can be found in your pantry! Ingredient quantities are in the recipe card below, but here are a few noteworthy tips.
- Pasta: We like bowtie noodles, also called Farfalle, but any medium sized pasta will work.
- Cherry tomatoes: They add a juicy pop. I would try to use the best tasting ones you can get.
- Fresh mozzarella: We like to use mozzarella pearls to save on prep time, but if you can only the larger size, feel free to - just cut them into ½ inch pieces.
- Pepperoni: Again, the mini ones are great because they don't require chopping. Plus they are thick enough to hold up to the other components.
- Baby Arugula: The peppery arugula provides the perfect little bite. Spinach isn't quite a tasty but can be substituted.
- Basil: Nothing says summer like the flavor of fresh basil.
- Homemade Dressing: Honey, chili flakes, garlic powder, onion powder, and herbs combine to provide the subtle heat that makes this salad unique.
How to make hot honey pasta salad
This is such an easy recipe! Start by cooking the pasta to just past al dente. I find that the noodles should be on the softer side but not mushy. Once the pasta is finished cooking rinse it under cool water and drain completely.
In a large bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the salad dressing. Take an extra few seconds to make sure that the honey is completely dissolved.
Add in the pasta salad ingredients and stir until well combined. If you are serving this at a later time, save the arugula until just before serving for optimal freshness.
Hint: make sure that you choose an extra large bowl when making the dressing since all the other ingredients will be added into that dish. It is much easier to stir if the bowl is roomy.
Make Ahead Instructions
This sweet & spicy pasta salad is great to make the day before. There are two different prep ahead strategies.
- Method one: Once the pasta is finished cooking, drain thoroughly and toss into the salad dressing, leaving out all the other ingredients. The warm pasta will soak up the dressing a little bit more than cooled noodles. Tightly cover and refrigerate overnight. The next day, add in all the other components and stir until well combined.
- Method two: Prepare the recipe exactly as written leaving out the arugula. Refrigerate over night in a covered container. When it is time to serve, add in the arugula and give it a good toss making sure te dressing gets evenly distributed.
FAQ
Pasta salad will last for 3-5 days if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Give it a good stir before serving to mix in the dressing that sinks to the bottom.
The noodles need to be cooled before adding in the fresh ingredients or else the hot pasta will cause the cheese to melt and the greens to wilt. However, the warm noodles can be tossed in the dressing if you have time to let that cool before serving. Then toss in the rest of the ingredients
Tips and tricks
- Be sure to choose a large enough bowl to make stirring easier.
- Do not add any of the fresh ingredients to the bowl with warm pasta. Make sure that the pasta is completely cooled.
- This base of this recipe, not including the dressing, is only 6 ingredients. Be sure to pick quality items for the best results.
More summer recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Recipe
Hot Honey Pasta Salad Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Dressing Ingredients
- ¾ cup light olive oil
- ⅓ cup honey
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes more or less depending on preference
- 1½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Pasta Salad Ingredients
- 1 pound medium size pasta bowtie or penne
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- 8 ounces mozzarella pearls fully drained
- 4 ounces mini pepperoni slices
- 1½ cups baby arugula
- ½ cup fresh basil
Instructions
- Start by boiling pasta until tender according to instructions on the package. Once cooked, drain and briefly rinse with cool water.1 pound medium size pasta
- While the pasta is cooking, add dressing ingredients to the bottom of a large bowl. Whisk until well combined. Once pasta is drained and lightly rinsed, add to the bowl of dressing. Stir together until each piece is well coated.¾ cup light olive oil, ⅓ cup honey, ¼ cup lemon juice, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, 1 tablespoon dried thyme, 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes, 1½ teaspoon garlic powder, 1½ teaspoon onion powder, ¾ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper
- Add in the rest of the pasta salad ingredients and stir together. Can be served immediately, but is best if refrigerated for at least two hours.2 cups cherry tomatoes, 8 ounces mozzarella pearls, 4 ounces mini pepperoni slices, 1½ cups baby arugula, ½ cup fresh basil
Notes
- Be sure to choose a large enough bowl to make stirring easier.
- Do not add any of the fresh ingredients to the bowl with warm pasta. Make sure that the pasta is completely cooled.
- This base of this recipe, not including the dressing, is only 6 ingredients. Be sure to pick quality items for the best results.
- Method one: Once the pasta is finished cooking, drain thoroughly and toss into the salad dressing, leaving out all the other ingredients. The warm pasta will soak up the dressing a little bit more than cooled noodles. Tightly cover and refrigerate overnight. The next day, add in all the other components and stir until well combined.
- Method two: Prepare the recipe exactly as written leaving out the arugula. Refrigerate over night in a covered container. When it is time to serve, add in the arugula and give it a good toss making sure te dressing gets evenly distributed.
Add Your Own Notes
Nutrition
All nutrition information is provided by a third party and is an estimate only. Use your own nutritional calculator for more specific measurements.
Kay says
This was so delicious! I halved the recipe and really wish I didn't. We almost ate the whole bowl in one sitting. The only thing I did different was use hot honey and a little less of the pepper flakes. I will definitely be making this for potlucks and lunches!
Danielle says
This comment made my day! Thank you so much for taking the time to let us know!
Mary Farrell says
Nice change of pace for pasta salads and tired of same one with Italian dressing, loved it and wasnt too hot
Danielle says
So glad to hear that you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking time to let us know!
Diane says
Brought this to a potluck and it was a hit! Very flavorful! Not too spicy just a nice little kick of heat!
Danielle says
So glad you enjoyed it! Every time we serve it, it is a hit. Thanks for taking the time to let us know!
June says
My family can’t get enough of this recipe! Luckily, it is super easy to make.
Danielle says
That is the best kind of recipe! Thanks for letting us know!