Spinach Strawberry Pasta Salad (Printable)

Refreshing bow-tie pasta with baby spinach, strawberries, and tangy poppy seed dressing.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

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 - Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook bow-tie pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain thoroughly, rinse under cold running water to stop cooking, and allow to cool completely.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, poppy seeds, salt, and black pepper until emulsified and smooth.
03 - In a large serving bowl, toss together cooled pasta, baby spinach, sliced strawberries, and toasted almonds until evenly distributed.
04 - Drizzle poppy seed dressing over salad mixture. Gently toss to coat all ingredients. Top with crumbled feta cheese and fresh basil slices, if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The sweet strawberries and tangy dressing wake up your taste buds like nothing else
  • You can make it ahead and it actually tastes better after the flavors hang out together
02 -
  • Rinse the pasta thoroughly or the residual heat will wilt your beautiful spinach instantly
  • The dressing needs to be completely emulsified or it separates and pools at the bottom of the bowl
03 -
  • Dry your spinach completely after washing or watered-down dressing ruins everything
  • Toast the nuts in a dry pan while the pasta boils for maximum efficiency and flavor
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