Spinach Pasta Salad
This spinach pasta salad recipe leans Mediterranean, built on rotini, baby spinach, feta, and kalamata olives tossed in a red wine vinaigrette. The pasta gets dressed while it's still warm, so it absorbs the vinaigrette instead of just wearing it on the surface, and the spinach only goes in once everything else has cooled.
Equipment
- Small bowl or jar with a lid - for the dressing
- Cutting board and chef's knife
- Salad Tongs
- Airtight storage containers
- OXO Good Grips Salad Spinner - optional, for drying spinach
- Sheet Pan - optional, for cooling pasta
Ingredients
- 1 pound rotini pasta - 454g
- 5 ounces baby spinach - 142g, roughly chopped if the leaves are large
- 1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes - 255g, halved
- ½ cup red onion - 75g, thinly sliced
- 1 cup English cucumber - 120g, diced
- ½ cup pitted kalamata olives - 75g, halved
- ¾ cup crumbled feta cheese - 115g, preferably from a block
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese - 25g
For the Red Wine Vinaigrette
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil - 120ml
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar - 45ml
- 2 cloves garlic - minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large stockpot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add the rotini pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente, usually 9 to 11 minutes.
- Reserve ¼ cup of the pasta water before draining. Drain the pasta in a colander and rinse it under cold running water for about 30 seconds. Spread on a sheet pan for 5 minutes to cool if desired.
- In a small bowl or jar, combine the extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Whisk or shake vigorously for about 30 seconds until thickened and emulsified.
- Halve the cherry tomatoes. Thinly slice the red onion, soak in cold water for 10 minutes if sharp, then drain. Dice the English cucumber. Halve the kalamata olives. Wash and dry the spinach, chopping any large leaves.
- Transfer cooled pasta to a large mixing bowl. Pour about two-thirds of the vinaigrette over the pasta and toss well with tongs. Let sit for 5 minutes to absorb the dressing.
- Add the cherry tomatoes, red onion, cucumber, and olives; toss gently. Add the baby spinach last, folding it in with tongs. Sprinkle with feta and Parmesan, then toss one more time.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes before serving. Taste and adjust with salt or a squeeze of lemon if needed. Toss once more before serving.
Notes
- Salt the pasta water generously. This is the only chance to season the pasta itself, and skipping it makes the whole salad taste flat.
- Dress the pasta while it's still warm, not hot. Warm pasta absorbs the vinaigrette; hot pasta cooks the garlic and dulls the dressing's flavor.
- Don't skip drying the spinach. Wet spinach dilutes the vinaigrette and waters down the whole salad. Use a salad spinner or pat dry with paper towels.
- Use block feta over pre-crumbled. It holds its shape and doesn't add a chalky film to the dressing from anti-caking agents.
- Pat the cucumber dry before adding it. Diced cucumber releases a surprising amount of liquid as it sits, which can make the dressing watery by day two.
- Add the spinach last. Fold it in right before serving if you're prepping more than a few hours ahead, as it wilts under dressing and salt over time.
- Make-ahead option: Combine everything except the spinach up to 2 days in advance, then fold in the spinach within an hour of serving.
- Refreshing leftovers: Keep a small jar of extra vinaigrette in the fridge to refresh leftovers, as the pasta soaks up most of the dressing overnight.
- Swap the cheese: Goat cheese or fresh mozzarella pearls both work in place of feta for a milder flavor.
- Add protein: Shredded rotisserie chicken, grilled shrimp, or chickpeas all work well to turn this into a full meal.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 310kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 8gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 420mgPotassium: 280mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 35IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 10mgIron: 8mg
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