Candy strawberries, salty feta cheese, tender pasta, crisp romaine lettuce, avocado, sliced almonds, and a tangy do-it-yourself poppy seed dressing come collectively on this recent and colourful pasta salad. Strawberry feta pasta salad is ideal for summer season cookouts, picnics, potlucks, and straightforward weeknight dinners. Be happy so as to add grilled rooster, shrimp, salmon, or chickpeas on prime for further protein.
I initially revealed this recipe in 2017 and have since added new images and extra success ideas.
When you’ve by no means paired strawberries with feta earlier than, you’re in for a deal with.
The sweetness of the berries and the salty, tangy feta stability one another superbly, whereas crunchy romaine, creamy avocado, and toasted almonds add loads of texture.
Each chew is recent, flavorful, and satisfying!
Not like heavier mayonnaise-based pasta salads, this model will get its creamy texture from a easy do-it-yourself Greek yogurt poppy seed dressing. It’s gentle, tangy, and full of taste. (I apply it to recent salads on a regular basis!)
Why You’ll Love This Strawberry Feta Pasta Salad
- Made with recent, seasonal strawberries
- Creamy Greek yogurt dressing (no mayonnaise)
- Prepared in about half-hour
- Simple to make forward for events and cookouts
- Filled with contrasting flavors and textures
- Excellent alongside grilled rooster, burgers, steak, or salmon
Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing Components
This dressing is one in all my favourite elements of the recipe. As a substitute of counting on mayonnaise, it makes use of Greek yogurt for a lighter, tangier taste whereas nonetheless delivering loads of creaminess.
- Greek Yogurt: You need to use any form of plain Greek yogurt—nonfat 0%, lowfat, or complete milk. The total-fat form offers you the richest and creamiest style.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: When you don’t have any, you may substitute white vinegar or recent lemon juice.
- Olive Oil: Additional-virgin olive oil is the opposite major element of this dressing.
- Honey: Gives a contact of sweetness.
- Salt: Key taste enhancer.
- Dijon Mustard: Don’t fear, you gained’t style a lot mustard right here. It provides a bit of zip of taste, however its actual job is to emulsify. What does this imply? It helps the oil and vinegar mix collectively right into a easy, creamy dressing that coats each chew.
- Poppy Seeds: Provides a refined crunch!
Pasta Salad Components You Want
- Pasta: Select a pasta form with loads of ridges or curves to catch the dressing. Rotini, fusilli, cavatappi, gemelli, or farfalle (bowtie) are all nice decisions.
- Romaine Lettuce: For the freshest-tasting outcomes, chop the romaine your self quite than shopping for a bag of pre-chopped lettuce. Romaine hearts present the crunchiest chew.
- Contemporary Strawberries: Contemporary strawberries are the star of this recipe. In case your strawberries are particularly ripe, gently pat them dry after washing to forestall extra moisture from watering down the dressing.
- Feta Cheese: Feta supplies the salty, creamy distinction to the candy strawberries and crunchy lettuce. At any time when potential, purchase a block of feta packed in brine and crumble it your self. It has a creamier texture and brisker taste than the pre-crumbled selection.
- Avocado: Ripe avocados add a buttery, creamy texture that enhances the candy strawberries and tangy feta. Search for avocados that really feel barely comfortable when gently squeezed; they need to give just a bit with out feeling squishy.
- Sliced Almonds: Almonds add a light nutty taste and one other crunchy texture distinction. You probably have time, toast them earlier than utilizing, for enhanced taste.
Want a nut-free choice? Be happy to skip the almonds or exchange with sunflower seeds. Simply as tasty!
Let’s Put It All Collectively
The method is straightforward and easy. Whereas the pasta is cooking, prep/slice the opposite elements.
After draining the pasta, rinse it briefly below cool water to cease the cooking and assist it cool extra shortly. Drain properly and funky utterly earlier than assembling the salad.
For the dressing, merely whisk all of the elements collectively till easy. Refrigerate till wanted:
Add the pasta, romaine, strawberries, feta, avocado, and almonds to a big bowl. Toss with the dressing till evenly coated. Cowl and refrigerate for at the least half-hour earlier than serving.
When you’re serving the salad inside 2 hours, go forward and toss the avocado in with the opposite elements. Nevertheless, in the event you’re making the salad farther upfront, wait so as to add the avocado till simply earlier than serving to forestall it from browning and turning into too comfortable.
3 Success Ideas
This recipe is splendidly easy, however these small particulars make a noticeable distinction.
- Salt the Pasta Water: That is your solely alternative to season the pasta itself. The water ought to style salty… suppose “salted soup.” It provides the completed salad far more taste than seasoning on the finish alone.
- Don’t Overcook the Pasta: Prepare dinner the pasta simply till al dente. It’s going to proceed to melt barely because it absorbs among the dressing whereas chilling.
- Make-Forward Tip: If absolutely assembled forward of time, reserve a small quantity of dressing to stir in simply earlier than serving. Pasta naturally absorbs dressing because it sits, and this little refresh helps restore its creamy texture!
Serving Options
As a facet dish, this strawberry feta pasta salad can be nice alongside any of the primary dishes on my record of 20+ recent summer season dinner concepts.
Black bean burgers for certain!
And in the event you’re seeking to flip it right into a satisfying meal, prime it with grilled rooster, salmon, or shrimp. Or attempt chickpeas for a vegetarian choice.
With its vibrant colours and number of textures, this salad is all the time successful at any large-gathering event. The combo is a bit sudden, however all the time welcomed!
Useful Pasta Salad Instruments
Description
Candy strawberries, salty feta cheese, tender pasta, crisp romaine lettuce, avocado, sliced almonds, and a tangy do-it-yourself poppy seed dressing come collectively on this recent and colourful pasta salad. Strawberry feta pasta salad is ideal for summer season cookouts, picnics, potlucks, and straightforward weeknight dinners. Be happy so as to add grilled rooster, shrimp, salmon, or chickpeas on prime!
- Prepare dinner pasta based on package deal instructions till al dente. Drain and rinse below cool water, then put aside to chill.
- Make the dressing: In a medium bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk collectively the Greek yogurt, vinegar, olive oil, honey, salt, mustard, and poppy seeds till easy and mixed.
- Assemble the salad: In a big bowl, mix the cooked pasta, romaine, strawberries, feta, avocado, and almonds. (And optionally available chickpeas and/or cooked rooster, shrimp, or salmon, if utilizing.) Pour the dressing over prime and stir gently till every thing is evenly coated. Refrigerate for at the least half-hour earlier than serving. For make-ahead directions, see Notice.
- Cowl tightly and retailer within the fridge for as much as 2 days.
Notes
- Make-Forward Directions: This is a wonderful recipe for entertaining as a result of plenty of the prep may be achieved forward. As much as 1 day forward, cook dinner and funky the pasta, put together the dressing, and chop the romaine and strawberries. Refrigerate every thing individually. half-hour to a few hours earlier than serving, assemble the salad and toss with the dressing. When you’re assembling the salad greater than a pair hours upfront, wait so as to add the avocado till simply earlier than serving to forestall it from browning and turning into too comfortable. Additionally, if the salad sits for a number of hours, reserve a small quantity of dressing to stir in earlier than serving. Pasta naturally absorbs dressing because it sits, and this little refresh helps restore its creamy texture.
- Particular Instruments (affiliate hyperlinks): Colander | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Silicone Spatula
- Pasta: Select a pasta form with loads of ridges or curves to catch the dressing. Rotini, fusilli, cavatappi, gemelli, or farfalle (bowtie) are all nice decisions.
- Greek Yogurt: You need to use any fats content material, from 0% (nonfat) to complete (full fats).
- Romaine: For the freshest-tasting outcomes, chop the romaine your self quite than shopping for a bag of pre-chopped lettuce. Romaine hearts present the crunchiest chew.
