Strawberry Feta Pasta Salad (Printable Version)

A cold pasta salad combining strawberries, feta, herbs, and a tangy yogurt dressing.

# Ingredient List:

→ Pasta

01 - 8.8 oz short pasta (farfalle or fusilli)
02 - Salt, 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

# Directions:

01 - Boil salted water in a large pot and cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool completely.
02 - In a large bowl, combine quartered strawberries, crumbled feta, diced cucumber, finely chopped red onion, chopped mint, and chopped parsley.
03 - In a separate small bowl, whisk Greek yogurt, honey, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and black pepper until smooth.
04 - Add cooled pasta to the salad base, pour dressing over all ingredients, and toss gently to coat evenly.
05 - Refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Serve cold.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes, including chill time, and tastes like you fussed for hours.
  • The sweet strawberries and tangy feta are a combination most people haven't tried, so it always surprises guests in the best way.
  • It's naturally vegetarian, refreshing on hot days, and actually gets better as it sits in the fridge.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the cooked pasta under cold water—I learned this the hard way when I served a warm, gluey version to friends and realized immediately what had gone wrong.
  • Taste the dressing before you mix it with everything; if it's too sweet or too sour now, it will be even more so after the pasta absorbs the flavors, so adjust it while you can.
  • If you're making this ahead, keep the dressing separate and toss everything together just before serving or within a few hours; otherwise, the pasta absorbs too much moisture and becomes mushy.
03 -
  • Make the dressing the night before and store it separately; the flavors will deepen and you'll have one less thing to do on the day you're serving.
  • If the pasta seems dry after it's been refrigerated for a few hours, whisk a tablespoon of extra yogurt with a squeeze of lemon juice and toss it in gently to refresh everything.
  • This dish tastes best served within a day of assembly, so plan accordingly if you're making it ahead for an event.
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