Spring Spinach Strawberry Pasta Salad (Printable)

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

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 8 oz bow-tie 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 Make It:

01 - Cook bow-tie pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, rinse under cold water, and set aside 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 well combined.
03 - In a large salad bowl, combine cooled pasta, baby spinach, sliced strawberries, and toasted almonds.
04 - Drizzle with poppy seed dressing 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 dressing comes together in seconds and keeps for days in the fridge
  • It travels beautifully and actually tastes better after the flavors mingle
02 -
  • The pasta will drink up the dressing as it sits so always reserve a little extra for refreshing leftovers
  • Strawberries break down quickly so slice them right before assembling rather than hours ahead
03 -
  • Spin the spinach completely dry after washing so water doesn't dilute your dressing
  • Let the pasta cool completely before mixing with the strawberries to prevent them from wilting
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