You’ll get asked for this pasta salad recipe all summer long.
This pasta salad is packed with fresh baby spinach, crispy bacon, and one especially surprising ingredient: strawberries!
Our friend Chelsea McPherson says it’s the pasta salad she’s bringing to every backyard barbecue. The strawberries add a burst of sweetness that beautifully balances the savory bacon. It’s light and refreshing, boasting a beautiful strawberry-jam based dressing to bring all of the flavors together.
Perfect for warm-weather gatherings, this salad is as visually appealing as it is delicious—a welcome twist on a traditional pasta salad.
Strawberry Pasta Salad
Recipe from Chelsea McPherson
INGREDIENTS
For the Salad Base
- 8 to 10 ounce bag of baby spinach
- 1 16-ounce box mini farfalle or other small shaped pasta
- ¼ cup slivered almonds
- ¼ cup chopped green onions
- ¾ cup chopped bacon (about 5-6 slices)
- 1 to 1 ½ cups sliced strawberries
- ¾ cup Swiss cheese, diced (optional)
For the Strawberry Dressing
- ½ cup strawberry jam
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon mustard
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon salt
METHOD
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse the pasta with cold water so it cools down quickly, and so it doesn’t stick together.
- In a large bowl, combine the spinach, cooked and cooled pasta, almonds, green onions, bacon, strawberries, and cheese.
- Pour half the dressing over the pasta salad and toss until combined. The other half of the dressing can be drizzled on top or set out on the table so others can add more dressing if they want more.
- Serve right away so your pasta doesn’t soak up all of the dressing and so your bacon stays crispy!
Notes
- You can make this salad in advance, keep it in the fridge, and add the bacon and dressing right before serving.
- Want to make it a meal instead of a side dish? Just add grilled chicken!
Find more from Chelsea on Instagram, @chels.eats_.
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