Spring Spinach Strawberry Pasta Salad (Print Version)

Fresh pasta tossed with spinach, strawberries, almonds, and homemade poppy seed dressing—a light, refreshing spring dish.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 8 oz bow-tie (farfalle) pasta

→ Salad

02 - 3.5 oz baby spinach, washed and dried
03 - 7 oz fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
04 - 1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted
05 - 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese, optional
06 - 2 tablespoons fresh basil, thinly sliced, optional

→ Poppy Seed Dressing

07 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
08 - 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
09 - 1 tablespoon honey
10 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
11 - 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
12 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
13 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

# How To Make:

01 - Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water, then set aside to cool completely.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, poppy seeds, salt, and black pepper until well combined.
03 - In a large salad bowl, combine the cooled pasta, baby spinach, sliced strawberries, and toasted almonds.
04 - Drizzle with the poppy seed dressing and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
05 - Top with crumbled feta cheese and fresh basil if using. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sweet-tangy dressing hits that perfect spot where everyone asks 'what's in this?'
  • It's one of those rare dishes that actually tastes better after the flavors hang out for an hour
02 -
  • The salad needs at least 30 minutes in the fridge after tossing, but no more than 4 hours or the strawberries start weeping
  • Don't dress it until just before serving, or the pasta will drink up all the dressing and leave you with dry salad
03 -
  • Let your strawberries come to room temperature before tossing, cold fruit kills the flavor of everything
  • The dressing might seem thick at first but the moisture from the strawberries thins it perfectly
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