Pasta and noodles · 20 min
Pasta Salad with Blue Cheese, Walnuts, Grapes, Celery & Arugula
- 20 min
- 2–6 servings
- 679 kcal / serving
A light pasta salad with peppery arugula, crunchy walnuts, and sweet grapes tossed with a tangy blue cheese bite. It comes together quickly for a weeknight meal that balances texture and bright flavors.
Free on iPhone · servings scaled, grocery list written for you.
Ingredients
- ½ (5 oz) pkgbaby arugula
- 2 stickscelery
- ½ (4 oz) pkgcrumbled blue cheese
- 1 clovegarlic
- ½ small bunchgreen onions (scallions)
- 5 ozpenne pasta
- ⅓ lbred grapes
- ⅓ cupwalnuts
From the pantry: black pepper, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt
Cookware
baking sheet pan · chef's knife · colander · cutting board · garlic press (optional) · measuring cups · measuring spoons · medium saucepan · mixing bowls · oven mitts · stirring spoon · tongs · whisk or fork
Kitchen help: cups to grams · tablespoons to cups · oven temperatures · butter conversions · what each cooking tool is for · ingredient substitutes
More dinner ideas: easy dinners
Shopping list by aisle
Produce
- ½ (5 oz) pkgbaby arugula
- 2 stickscelery
- 1 clovegarlic
- ½ small bunchgreen onions (scallions)
- ⅓ lbred grapes
Dairy, eggs & chilled
- ½ (4 oz) pkgcrumbled blue cheese
Pantry & dry goods
- 5 ozpenne pasta
- ⅓ cupwalnuts
3 aisles for this recipe. Plan a week in MealPot and it merges every dinner into one list in this order, scaled to your household.
Ingredients for 2, 4 and 6 servings
| Ingredient | 2 servings | 4 servings | 6 servings |
|---|---|---|---|
| baby arugula | ½ (5 oz) pkg | 1 (5 oz) pkg | 1 ½ (5 oz) pkgs |
| celery | 2 sticks | 4 sticks | 6 sticks |
| crumbled blue cheese | ½ (4 oz) pkg | 1 (4 oz) pkg | 1 ½ (4 oz) pkgs |
| garlic | 1 clove | 2 cloves | 3 cloves |
| green onions (scallions) | ½ small bunch | 1 small bunch | 1 small bunch |
| penne pasta | 5 oz | 10 oz | 15 oz |
| red grapes | ⅓ lb | ⅔ lb | 1 lb |
| walnuts | ⅓ cup | ⅔ cup | 1 cup |
Quantities in US units. Any other household size: MealPot scales the recipe and the grocery list for you.
Directions
- Cook the penne until just tender in salted water, then drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking. Set aside.
- Toast half of the walnuts on a baking sheet until lightly fragrant, about five to seven minutes, then cool.
- Whisk garlic, olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, brown sugar, salt, and pepper in a bowl to make a bright dressing.
- Add halved grapes, chopped celery, and sliced green onions to the dressing, stirring to coat.
- Roughly chop the remaining walnuts and fold them into the mixture with the cooled pasta. Add arugula and toss gently to combine.
- Crumble the blue cheese into the salad and give it a light toss to distribute. Divide onto plates and finish with any extra walnuts, if desired.
- Serve promptly, allowing the flavors to mingle as the arugula slightly wilts from the warmth of the pasta.
Two tips
- Make-ahead: hold dressing separate from greens and toss just before serving to keep textures fresh.
- Serving idea: add extra arugula or a few extra grapes on top for a lighter presentation.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 679 kcal
- Protein
- 20 g
- Carbs
- 76 g
- Fat
- 34 g
- Fiber
- 6 g
- Sodium
- 55 mg
Estimates from the recipe's published nutrition data; they change with the version you pick above.
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Ingredient quantities, timing and nutrition follow the original Mealime recipe ↗ (captured 2026-09-12). The photo is MealPot's AI-rendered illustration of the finished dish; the description, directions, aisle list and serving table are MealPot's.