Strawberry Feta Pasta Salad (Printable)

Sweet strawberries and tangy feta combine with pasta and creamy yogurt for a refreshing cold salad.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 8.8 oz short pasta (farfalle or fusilli)
02 - Salt, as needed for boiling water

→ Salad Base

03 - 10.6 oz fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered
04 - 3.5 oz feta cheese, crumbled
05 - 1 small cucumber, diced
06 - 1 small red onion, finely chopped
07 - 2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
08 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

→ Dressing

09 - 4.2 oz plain Greek yogurt
10 - 2 tbsp honey or maple syrup
11 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
12 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
13 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# How-To:

01 - Boil the pasta in a large pot of salted water according to package directions until al dente. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside to cool completely.
02 - Combine strawberries, crumbled feta, diced cucumber, finely chopped red onion, chopped mint, and parsley in a large bowl.
03 - Whisk together Greek yogurt, honey or maple syrup, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and freshly ground black pepper in a small bowl until smooth.
04 - Add the cooled pasta to the salad base, pour the dressing over, and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
05 - Refrigerate the mixture for at least 30 minutes to let flavors meld. Serve cold.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's ready faster than you can convince yourself to turn on a hot oven—pasta cools while you chop.
  • The sweet strawberries and tangy feta create that addictive contrast that makes you keep taking another bite.
  • It actually tastes better the longer it sits, so make it hours ahead and thank yourself later.
02 -
  • Never skip the cooling step for the pasta—warm pasta will wilt the herbs and break down the strawberries into mush, and the dressing will separate.
  • The dressing thickens slightly as it sits, so if it seems loose when you're mixing, give it time; you can always whisk in a touch more yogurt if it's too runny by serving time.
03 -
  • Buy the most beautiful, ripe strawberries you can find; they're the star of this show and there's nowhere to hide subpar fruit.
  • Keep everything—bowl, plates, even the serving spoon—cold before plating, and serve it immediately so the contrast between the cold salad and warm afternoon stays perfect.
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