Time to get excited this Monday with a bright and flavorful strawberry pasta salad!
Before you dismiss the idea, hear me out: strawberry pasta salad is genuinely wonderful. It’s unexpected, fresh, and delicious.
This salad works as a side for many, but it’s easily a full dinner for me. I’ve loved strawberries since I was a child — strawberry-scented chapstick or candy would make me giddy — and I still reach for berries first on any fruit plate. While I’m not a fan of strawberry ice cream (I’m a chocolate person), most strawberry dishes are irresistible to me.
So naturally, I was thrilled to make this pasta salad. If you’ve followed my blog during summers past, you know I’m not typically a fan of classic pasta salads loaded with processed meats and heavy dressings. I prefer fresher, more interesting combinations — and this one fits the bill.
Strawberries in savory dishes can be polarizing, but if you enjoy the contrast of sweet and savory, this salad will likely win you over. There’s fresh basil and oregano, tangy balsamic, peppery bite, and creamy goat cheese — a combination that sings together.
A side note on black pepper: I’ve never been obsessed with it, but here it adds a fantastic, punchy contrast that lifts the whole dish. It gives a perfect bite.
Here’s the process in a nutshell. The strawberries macerate in balsamic vinegar and cracked black pepper so they soak up flavor. A little of that balsamic becomes the base for a quick vinaigrette. Cook the pasta and add plenty of fresh spinach so it wilts from the heat of the noodles — this salad is excellent both warm, when the goat cheese softens, and chilled later after the flavors meld.
I add thinly sliced cucumber for crunch and freshness, which plays beautifully with the balsamic and berries. The resulting balance of flavors — sweet, tangy, peppery, creamy, and herbaceous — is what makes this salad so memorable.
Serve it and enjoy every bite.
Black Pepper Balsamic Strawberry Pasta Salad
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Ingredients
- 16 ounces strawberries halved (hulled if desired)
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper plus more for topping
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 8 ounces ziti pasta
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove minced
- pinch salt
- 2/3 cup olive oil
- 8 ounces baby spinach
- 1 seedless cucumber thinly sliced
- 4 ounces goat cheese crumbled
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
Instructions
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Place the strawberries in a large bowl and pour the balsamic vinegar over them. Sprinkle with black pepper and toss to coat. Toss them occasionally while you prepare the rest of the salad so they continue to absorb the flavor.
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Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions.
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While the pasta cooks, pour 2 to 3 tablespoons of the balsamic from the strawberry bowl into a smaller bowl. Whisk in the honey, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until the dressing is emulsified.
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Place the baby spinach on top of the strawberries in the large bowl. When the pasta is done, drain it and add it on top of the spinach. Drizzle a few tablespoons of the dressing over the pasta so it doesn’t stick. Let the hot pasta sit on the spinach for about 5 minutes to allow the greens to wilt.
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Toss the pasta with the spinach and strawberries until combined. Fold in the cucumber and crumbled goat cheese. Add extra cracked black pepper to taste and toss with more dressing as needed. Finish with the chopped basil and oregano, then serve.
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Honestly, I just want that entire bowl to myself.