Spinach Strawberry Pasta Salad (Printable)

Vibrant bow-tie pasta with baby spinach, sweet strawberries, and tangy poppy seed dressing. Ideal for warm weather entertaining.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Pasta Base

01 - 8 oz bow-tie (farfalle) pasta

→ Salad Components

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 tbsp fresh basil, thinly sliced (optional)

→ Poppy Seed Dressing

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

# Directions:

01 - Cook pasta in large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain, rinse under cold water, and cool completely.
02 - Whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, poppy seeds, salt, and black pepper until emulsified.
03 - In large salad bowl, toss cooled pasta with baby spinach, strawberries, and toasted almonds.
04 - Drizzle dressing over salad and toss gently to coat. Top with feta and basil if using. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The strawberries soften slightly in the dressing creating these little bursts of juice that make every forkful exciting
  • People always look skeptical until they taste it then suddenly the bowl is empty
02 -
  • The salad needs to sit for about 15 minutes after tossing so the pasta can drink up some of the dressing
  • If you make it ahead keep the dressing separate and add it right before serving or the strawberries will weep
03 -
  • Buy strawberries the day you plan to make this because they lose their sweetness fast
  • Let the salad come to room temperature for 15 minutes before serving if it has been refrigerated
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