Strawberry Feta Pasta Salad (Printable)

Chilled pasta mixed with strawberries, feta, cucumber, and a honey-yogurt dressing with herbs.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 8.8 oz short pasta (farfalle or fusilli)
02 - Salt, for boiling water

→ Salad Base

03 - 10.5 oz fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered
04 - 3.5 oz feta cheese, crumbled
05 - 1 small cucumber, diced
06 - 1 small red onion, finely chopped
07 - 2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
08 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

→ Dressing

09 - 4.2 oz plain Greek yogurt
10 - 2 tbsp honey or maple syrup
11 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
12 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
13 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# How-To Steps:

01 - Boil pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente per package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside to cool completely.
02 - Combine strawberries, crumbled feta, diced cucumber, chopped red onion, mint, and parsley in a large bowl.
03 - Whisk Greek yogurt, honey or maple syrup, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and black pepper in a small bowl until smooth.
04 - Add cooled pasta to the salad base, pour dressing over, and toss gently to coat evenly.
05 - Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to blend. Serve cold.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It brings together sweet strawberries and tangy feta in a way that surprises your palate without overwhelming it.
  • The whole thing comes together in under half an hour, and you can make it ahead so theres no last minute scrambling.
  • Its one of those rare dishes that works as a side, a main, or even something to bring to a picnic without worrying it will wilt or spoil.
02 -
  • Rinsing the pasta under cold water after draining is essential, or the residual heat will make the strawberries mushy and the herbs limp.
  • If you add the dressing while the pasta is even slightly warm, the yogurt can separate and turn watery, so patience here really pays off.
  • Dont skip the chilling time, the salad tastes noticeably better after the flavors have had a chance to settle and marry together.
03 -
  • Always taste a strawberry before you add it, if its bland or sour, the whole salad will suffer, so use only the ripest, sweetest berries you can find.
  • Crumble the feta with your fingers instead of a knife, the irregular pieces distribute better and some of the smaller crumbs dissolve slightly into the dressing for extra creaminess.
  • If youre serving this to a crowd, make it in the morning and let it sit in the fridge all day, the flavors deepen and the pasta absorbs the dressing in a way that makes it even better by evening.
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