Raspberry Spinach Feta Pasta Salad (Printable)
Fresh pasta salad with raspberries, spinach, and feta in tangy vinaigrette
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 7 oz short pasta (fusilli, penne, or farfalle)
02 - 1 tsp salt for boiling water
→ Vegetables & Fruit
03 - 3.5 oz baby spinach, washed and dried
04 - 4.5 oz fresh raspberries
05 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
06 - 1 small cucumber, diced
→ Cheese & Nuts
07 - 3.5 oz feta cheese, crumbled
08 - 1 oz toasted walnuts or pecans, roughly chopped (optional)
→ Dressing
09 - 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
10 - 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
11 - 1 tbsp raspberry vinegar or red wine vinegar
12 - 1 tsp honey or maple syrup
13 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
14 - Salt and black pepper to taste
# How-To Steps:
01 - Boil pasta in salted water according to package directions until al dente. Drain thoroughly and rinse under cold running water to stop cooking and cool completely.
02 - Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until emulsified and smooth.
03 - Place cooled pasta, baby spinach, red onion, cucumber, and half the raspberries in a large serving bowl.
04 - Pour vinaigrette over salad and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly without crushing raspberries.
05 - Sprinkle crumbled feta, remaining raspberries, and toasted nuts over the top.
06 - Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 2 hours before serving for optimal texture and flavor.
# Helpful Tips:
01 -
- The sweet raspberries balance tangy feta in a way that makes people do a happy little dance
- It comes together in 25 minutes but tastes like you spent way more effort on it
02 -
- The pasta needs to be completely cooled before adding the dressing or it'll wilt the spinach instantly
- Raspberries are delicate so handle them gently but do not stress if some break apart, it makes the salad prettier
03 -
- Add the dressing right before serving to keep everything crisp and fresh
- Taste and adjust the honey before dressing the whole salad