Spring Spinach Strawberry Pasta Salad (Printable)

Vibrant salad with bow-tie pasta, fresh spinach, strawberries, almonds, and homemade poppy seed dressing.

# What You'll 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 Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add bow-tie pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain in a colander, rinse under cold water, and cool completely.
02 - In a small mixing bowl, whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, poppy seeds, salt, and black pepper until well combined.
03 - In a large salad bowl, combine cooled pasta, baby spinach, sliced strawberries, and toasted almonds.
04 - Drizzle poppy seed dressing over salad mixture and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
05 - Top with crumbled feta cheese and fresh basil if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sweet and savory combination hits that perfect spot where comfort food meets something fresh and light
  • It travels beautifully and actually tastes better after the flavors hang out for a while
02 -
  • The pasta must be completely cold before mixing or it will wilt the spinach leaves into something slimy and sad
  • Strawberries release water once dressed, so toss the salad no more than thirty minutes before serving to keep it from becoming soupy
03 -
  • Spin the washed spinach in a salad spinner or pat it thoroughly with paper towels, because water clinging to the leaves will dilute the dressing
  • Let the dressed salad sit for ten minutes before serving, the pasta absorbs flavor and the strawberries release some juices that blend beautifully with the poppy seed dressing
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