This one pot pasta combines a simple mixture of goat cheese, olive oil, salt and pepper with pasta and starchy pasta water to create a creamy, tangy, light sauce. Arugula gets tossed in until wilted for a fresh peppery green flavor. This pasta is taken to the next level with an easy fried caper and garlic topping that is out of this world delicious! Parmesan on top is a must!
Ingredient Highlight
Arugula! These peppery leafy greens (also known as “rocket”) are actually a member of the cruciferous family and have similar benefits to other members like broccoli, kale and brussels sprouts. They pack in tons of vitamin K, vitamin C, folate, iron, calcium, and magnesium.
Servings 4 People
Prep Time 5 minutes 
Cook Time 12 minutes Ingredients
- 16 oz farfalle or rotini
- 1 4 oz log goat cheese (about a heaping ½ cup)
- ¼ cup olive oil
- Zest from 1 lemon (optional)
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 5 cups loosely packed arugula
- Grated parmesan (for topping)
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for topping, optional)
- Toasted walnuts or almonds, chopped (for topping, optional)
For the fried capers*:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ¼ cup capers, drained and rinsed
- 1 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- *Recommend doubling this if you like capers. It’s so good and the more you can put on your pasta, the better! It’s also yummy on things like avo toast and salads.
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with about 3 quarts of water and bring to a boil. Salt generously (about 2 tablespoons), add pasta, and cook according to the package instructions. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain and return the pasta to the pot.
- While the water comes to a boil/pasta cooks, make the capers and mix together the goat cheese mixture.
- For the fried capers, heat the oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the capers and cook, stirring occasionally, until they darken in color, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes for about 1 more minute or until the garlic is just beginning to turn light golden brown (don’t burn it!). Use a slotted spoon or fork and transfer the capers/garlic onto a plate or bowl lined with a paper towel, leaving the oil behind (this oil is delicious for dipping bread or drizzle over a salad so don’t throw it away).
- In a medium bowl, add goat cheese, olive oil, lemon zest (if using), pepper, and salt. Use a fork to mash and mix the oil into the cheese until smooth.
- Add goat cheese mixture to the pasta along with ½ cup reserved pasta water and stir to coat. If it looks dry, add more pasta water and stir again. Taste and add more salt, if needed.
- Stir in the arugula until it wilts down a little bit. Again, you’ll likely need to add more pasta water (as pasta sits, it absorbs liquid so you often have to add more water to loosen up the sauce).
- Serve pasta topped with fried capers, parsley (if using), chopped nuts (if using), and parmesan cheese.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Make fried capers
- Mix together the goat cheese mixture
Substitutions:
- To make dairy-free/vegan, use the cashew lemon sauce from this recipe in place of the goat cheese mixture.
- Easily substitute ricotta for the goat cheese (¾ cup worth) and add 1 tablespoon lemon juice.
- Sub arugula with spinach.
- If you don’t like capers, try making fried olives instead (chop them up finely).
- Bump the protein by adding chopped up sausage, cooked lentils, or a couple of fried eggs.
Storage:
-
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge:
- Leftover pasta: up to 3 days in the fridge
- Fried capers: up to 6 days in the fridge
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- Warm up leftover pasta in the microwave until warmed through. I like to add a good splash of boiling water and stir that in to loosen up the sauce and add moisture (pasta sucks up moisture as it sits).
- Top with a squeeze of lemon, fried capers, and plenty of parmesan (+ herbs + nuts if you have them).
- I like to warm up leftovers and toss with more arugula (if you have any left) to stretch the pasta. If you do this, just add an extra glug of olive oil, pinch of salt, and squeeze of lemon before tossing together.
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