Sweet strawberries, salty feta cheese, tender pasta, crisp romaine lettuce, avocado, sliced almonds, and a tangy homemade poppy seed dressing come together in this fresh and colorful pasta salad. Strawberry feta pasta salad is perfect for summer cookouts, picnics, potlucks, and easy weeknight dinners. Feel free to add grilled chicken, shrimp, salmon, or chickpeas on top for extra protein.
I originally published this recipe in 2017 and have since added new photos and more success tips.
If you’ve never paired strawberries with feta before, you’re in for a treat.
The sweetness of the berries and the salty, tangy feta balance each other beautifully, while crunchy romaine, creamy avocado, and toasted almonds add plenty of texture.
Every bite is fresh, flavorful, and satisfying!
Unlike heavier mayonnaise-based pasta salads, this version gets its creamy texture from a simple homemade Greek yogurt poppy seed dressing. It’s light, tangy, and packed with flavor. (I use it on fresh salads all the time!)
Why You’ll Love This Strawberry Feta Pasta Salad
- Made with fresh, seasonal strawberries
- Creamy Greek yogurt dressing (no mayonnaise)
- Ready in about 30 minutes
- Easy to make ahead for parties and cookouts
- Full of contrasting flavors and textures
- Perfect alongside grilled chicken, burgers, steak, or salmon
Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing Ingredients
This dressing is one of my favorite parts of the recipe. Instead of relying on mayonnaise, it uses Greek yogurt for a lighter, tangier flavor while still delivering plenty of creaminess.
- Greek Yogurt: You can use any kind of plain Greek yogurt—nonfat 0%, lowfat, or whole milk. The full-fat kind will give you the richest and creamiest taste.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: If you don’t have any, you can substitute white vinegar or fresh lemon juice.
- Olive Oil: Extra-virgin olive oil is the other main component of this dressing.
- Honey: Provides a touch of sweetness.
- Salt: Key flavor enhancer.
- Dijon Mustard: Don’t worry, you won’t taste much mustard here. It adds a little zip of flavor, but its real job is to emulsify. What does this mean? It helps the oil and vinegar blend together into a smooth, creamy dressing that coats every bite.
- Poppy Seeds: Adds a subtle crunch!
Pasta Salad Ingredients You Need
- Pasta: Choose a pasta shape with plenty of ridges or curves to catch the dressing. Rotini, fusilli, cavatappi, gemelli, or farfalle (bowtie) are all great choices.
- Romaine Lettuce: For the freshest-tasting results, chop the romaine yourself rather than buying a bag of pre-chopped lettuce. Romaine hearts provide the crunchiest bite.
- Fresh Strawberries: Fresh strawberries are the star of this recipe. If your strawberries are especially ripe, gently pat them dry after washing to prevent excess moisture from watering down the dressing.
- Feta Cheese: Feta provides the salty, creamy contrast to the sweet strawberries and crunchy lettuce. Whenever possible, buy a block of feta packed in brine and crumble it yourself. It has a creamier texture and fresher flavor than the pre-crumbled variety.
- Avocado: Ripe avocados add a buttery, creamy texture that complements the sweet strawberries and tangy feta. Look for avocados that feel slightly soft when gently squeezed; they should give just a little without feeling squishy.
- Sliced Almonds: Almonds add a mild nutty flavor and another crunchy texture contrast. If you have time, toast them before using, for enhanced flavor.
Need a nut-free option? Feel free to skip the almonds or replace with sunflower seeds. Just as tasty!
Let’s Put It All Together
The process is simple and straightforward. While the pasta is cooking, prep/slice the other ingredients.
After draining the pasta, rinse it briefly under cool water to stop the cooking and help it cool more quickly. Drain well and cool completely before assembling the salad.
For the dressing, simply whisk all the ingredients together until smooth. Refrigerate until needed:
Add the pasta, romaine, strawberries, feta, avocado, and almonds to a large bowl. Toss with the dressing until evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
If you’re serving the salad within 2 hours, go ahead and toss the avocado in with the other ingredients. However, if you’re making the salad farther in advance, wait to add the avocado until just before serving to prevent it from browning and becoming too soft.
3 Success Tips
This recipe is wonderfully simple, but these small details make a noticeable difference.
- Salt the Pasta Water: This is your only opportunity to season the pasta itself. The water should taste salty… think “salted soup.” It gives the finished salad much more flavor than seasoning at the end alone.
- Don’t Overcook the Pasta: Cook the pasta just until al dente. It will continue to soften slightly as it absorbs some of the dressing while chilling.
- Make-Ahead Tip: If fully assembled ahead of time, reserve a small amount of dressing to stir in just before serving. Pasta naturally absorbs dressing as it sits, and this little refresh helps restore its creamy texture!
Serving Suggestions
As a side dish, this strawberry feta pasta salad would be great alongside any of the main dishes on my list of 20+ fresh summer dinner ideas.
Black bean burgers for sure!
And if you’re looking to turn it into a satisfying meal, top it with grilled chicken, salmon, or shrimp. Or try chickpeas for a vegetarian option.
With its vibrant colors and variety of textures, this salad is always a hit at any large-gathering occasion. The combo is a bit unexpected, but always welcomed!
Helpful Pasta Salad Tools
Description
Sweet strawberries, salty feta cheese, tender pasta, crisp romaine lettuce, avocado, sliced almonds, and a tangy homemade poppy seed dressing come together in this fresh and colorful pasta salad. Strawberry feta pasta salad is perfect for summer cookouts, picnics, potlucks, and easy weeknight dinners. Feel free to add grilled chicken, shrimp, salmon, or chickpeas on top!
- Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cool water, then set aside to cool.
- Make the dressing: In a medium bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the Greek yogurt, vinegar, olive oil, honey, salt, mustard, and poppy seeds until smooth and combined.
- Assemble the salad: In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta, romaine, strawberries, feta, avocado, and almonds. (And optional chickpeas and/or cooked chicken, shrimp, or salmon, if using.) Pour the dressing over top and stir gently until everything is evenly coated. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. For make-ahead instructions, see Note.
- Cover tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Notes
- Make-Ahead Instructions: This is an excellent recipe for entertaining because a lot of the prep can be done ahead. Up to 1 day ahead, cook and cool the pasta, prepare the dressing, and chop the romaine and strawberries. Refrigerate everything separately. 30 minutes to a couple hours before serving, assemble the salad and toss with the dressing. If you’re assembling the salad more than a couple hours in advance, wait to add the avocado until just before serving to prevent it from browning and becoming too soft. Also, if the salad sits for several hours, reserve a small amount of dressing to stir in before serving. Pasta naturally absorbs dressing as it sits, and this little refresh helps restore its creamy texture.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Colander | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Silicone Spatula
- Pasta: Choose a pasta shape with plenty of ridges or curves to catch the dressing. Rotini, fusilli, cavatappi, gemelli, or farfalle (bowtie) are all great choices.
- Greek Yogurt: You can use any fat content, from 0% (nonfat) to whole (full fat).
- Romaine: For the freshest-tasting results, chop the romaine yourself rather than buying a bag of pre-chopped lettuce. Romaine hearts provide the crunchiest bite.
