Spring Spinach Strawberry Pasta (Print Version)

Tender pasta with fresh spinach, strawberries, toasted almonds, and a zesty 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 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

# Steps to Follow:

01 - Boil the pasta in a large pot of salted water following package directions until al dente. Drain, rinse under cold water, and let cool completely.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, poppy seeds, salt, and black pepper until fully blended.
03 - Place cooled pasta, baby spinach, sliced strawberries, and toasted almonds in a large salad bowl.
04 - Pour the poppy seed dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat all components evenly.
05 - Optionally top with crumbled feta cheese and fresh basil leaves. Serve immediately.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • The sweet and savory combo hits that perfect spot everyone craves but cant quite name
  • You can make it hours ahead and it actually gets better as it sits
  • It looks stunning on a table but takes zero fancy cooking skills
02 -
  • Rinse the pasta with cold water until it's genuinely cool throughout, or the spinach will wilt immediately
  • Pat your strawberries completely dry after slicing, otherwise they'll water down the dressing
  • The salad needs at least 15 minutes in the fridge for flavors to meld, but don't let it sit longer than 4 hours or the pasta absorbs all the dressing
03 -
  • Buy strawberries a day ahead and leave them at room temperature, they'll be so much more flavorful than cold from the fridge
  • If your almonds are raw, toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking constantly, until they're golden and fragrant
Return