Description
A refreshing and vibrant salad perfect for warm days—tender pasta tossed with baby spinach, sweet dried cranberries, tangy feta, crunchy nuts, and a drizzle of olive oil for a light, Mediterranean-inspired finish.
Ingredients
8 oz (225g) pasta (bowtie or rotini recommended)
3 cups fresh baby spinach
½ cup dried cranberries
½ cup crumbled feta cheese
¼ cup (30g) chopped walnuts or pecans
¼ small red onion, thinly sliced
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta with the fresh baby spinach, dried cranberries, crumbled feta cheese, chopped nuts, and thinly sliced red onion.
- Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and black pepper. Toss everything together until evenly coated.
- Chill the salad for at least 15 minutes before serving to let the flavors meld together.
- Serve cold or at room temperature, depending on your preference.
Notes
If you'd like, you can try different nuts like almonds or pistachios for variety.
For an extra burst of flavor, fresh herbs like basil or mint could be added.
Swap feta for goat cheese or creamy mozzarella if you prefer.
To make it a more filling dish, consider adding grilled chicken or chickpeas for protein.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 300mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 15mg
