Hot Honey Pasta Salad Recipe

Pepperoni, bowtie pasta, arugula, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella pearls, and dressing layered in glass dish.

5 from 4 votes

Hot Honey Pasta Salad Recipe

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!

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Total Time20

Course: Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: people

Calories: 791kcal

Author: Danielle

Equipment

large bowl

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

Tips & 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.

Make Ahead Instructions

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.

Nutrition