Pasta Salad with Tomatoes, Arugula, Pine Nuts and Herb Dressing

• Recipe by Melissa Rubel

For lighter winter meals, Melissa Rubel jazzes up a basic pasta salad with peppery arugula and a lively mayo-based dressing made with garlic, lemon juice and a trio of fresh herbs. She uses sweet grape tomatoes, which are delicious year-round.

Ingredients

1. 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons pine nuts
2. 1 pound fusilli pasta
3. 1/2 cup cilantro leaves
4. 1/2 cup basil leaves
5. 2 teaspoons coarsely chopped oregano leaves
6. 1 garlic clove
7. 1/4 cup mayonnaise
8. 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
9. 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
10. Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
11. 2 1/2 cups baby arugula
12. 1 1/4 cups grape tomatoes, halved
13. 1/2 small red onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. In a pie plate, toast 3 tablespoons of the pine nuts until lightly golden and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
2. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the fusilli until it is al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse it under cold water, then drain again; transfer to a large bowl.
3. Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine the cilantro with the basil, oregano and garlic and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add the mayonnaise, olive oil, lemon juice and the remaining 1/4 cup of pine nuts and process until smooth. Season the herb dressing with salt and pepper.
4. Toss the fusilli with the toasted pine nuts, arugula, tomatoes, red onion and the herb dressing. Season the pasta salad with salt and pepper and serve.