Spring Pasta Salad Strawberries Feta (Printable)

Sweet strawberries and tangy feta unite with pasta and arugula for a lively, Mediterranean-inspired spring meal.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 9 oz short pasta such as fusilli or farfalle
02 - Salt for boiling water

→ Vegetables & Greens

03 - 3.5 oz fresh arugula
04 - 9 oz strawberries, hulled and quartered
05 - 1 small cucumber, diced
06 - 2 spring onions, thinly sliced

→ Cheese

07 - 3.5 oz feta cheese, crumbled

→ Dressing

08 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
09 - 1.5 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
10 - 1 teaspoon honey
11 - Juice of 0.5 small lemon
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

13 - 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
14 - 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool.
02 - In a large salad bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, lemon juice, salt, and pepper until well combined.
03 - Add cooled pasta to the bowl and toss thoroughly with dressing.
04 - Fold in arugula, strawberries, cucumber, and spring onions. Gently toss to mix.
05 - Add crumbled feta cheese and chopped basil. Toss lightly to distribute evenly.
06 - Sprinkle with toasted pine nuts just before serving, if desired. Serve immediately or chill in the refrigerator for up to 1 hour.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It feels like a secret shortcut to a sunny mood, thanks to the playful contrast of flavors.
  • Lightning-fast assembly means lunch is ready before you can even finish your coffee.
02 -
  • If the pasta isn’t cooled quickly, the salad turns sticky and the greens wilt.
  • Using sweeter strawberries made the salad unexpectedly dessert-like; balance with extra lemon if needed.
03 -
  • Chilling the salad just long enough melds flavors, but too long dulls the fresh greens.
  • A sprinkle of flaky sea salt right before serving brings out every ingredient’s best.
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