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Warm weather means it is time for lighter meals and refreshing salads. This delicious gluten free pasta salad is extremely easy to make and features fresh strawberries, mandarin oranges, sunflower seeds and a light poppy seed dressing. If you are a fan of Panera’s seasonal Strawberry Poppyseed Chicken Salad you will love this vegan option! Guilt-free pasta salad and low in fat but high in protein, fiber and nutrients! Using chickpea pasta, one serving of contains 12 grams of protein. Want more protein? Simply add diced chicken breast or julienned deli meat. Perfect as a side dish at your next summer party, or an easy meal-prep lunch option for the work week.
As we move into spring and summer, the warmer weather inspires lighter dishes and seasonal flavors. I start to dream of barbecues, grilling season, and backyard parties. These parties remind me of the classic side dishes: baked beans, broccoli salad, potato salad, and pasta salad. My Strawberry Poppy Seed Pasta Salad is a delicious gluten free and refreshing take on the classic Italian pasta salad. It is a hybrid between a salad, fruit salad, and pasta salad. Featuring everyone’s favorite fruits, this salad is a true crowd pleaser. This recipe makes 4 side-dish servings and 2 entre sized servings. You can double the recipe to create 8 side-dish servings and 4 entre servings.
INGREDIENTS
Below are the ingredients used in my pasta salad, however these ingredients are very flexible.
- Pasta: You can use any pasta for this salad. If eating gluten free I recommend using Banza chickpea pasta as Banza contains 12 grams of protein in each serving. I used the Rotini shaped Banza in this recipe. I love to use rotini shaped pasta in pasta salads because the sauce and toppings get into the spiral crevices making each bite equally delicious. Bowtie shaped pasta is a great alternative. When making the pasta, don’t forget to add salt to your pot of water as it comes to a boil. Authentic Italian chefs say pasta should be cooked in water that is salty like the sea. While my water certainly does not taste like the sea, I do add around 2 teaspoons of salt before adding pasta to the pot. This will help to bring out the flavor of the pasta in every dish.
- Fruit: A variety of fruit adds color to the salad. We love using strawberries and mandarin oranges. I used Dole mandarin oranges in 100% juice, but it is important to drain the juice before using! You can even spread the oranges on a layer of paper towels to allow the towels to absorb extra juice if you do not want an overly sweet salad. Blueberries would also be a tasty addition to this salad.
- Vegetables: Since veggies tend to pair better with savory salads, I only used baby spinach in this salad. Spinach is my favorite of all greens because it is tasteless but takes on the taste of the foods it is paired with. Also, spinach works well with both savory and sweet flavors. Baby spinach is preferred over regular spinach as baby spinach leaves are smaller and more dainty, making it easier to mix with other ingredients. Regular spinach leaves can be very large with long stems that might require trimming before adding to this salad. Romaine and butter lettuces would also work nicely with the flavors in this salad.
- Nuts & Seeds: As I said earlier, the ingredients in this salad are extremely versatile. You can add any nuts or seeds that you love to this salad. We love using roasted & salted sunflower kernels because they are small & light and mix perfectly with this salad. They also add a delicious salty element to the mix. Sunflower seeds are a “seed” therefore they are allergy-friendly to those who may have peanut or tree nut allergies. Other nut options for this salad are: pistachio nutmeats, roasted & sliced almonds, or chopped pecans. Roasted pecan halves are delicious however they may gather at the bottom of the bowl since they are larger that sunflower seeds, hence the recommendation for chopped pecans.
- Extras: Feta cheese would be a tasty addition to this recipe. Feta is a salty sheep’s milk cheese that pairs well with fruity salads and holds up shape well in pasta salads. When making this salad as a meal we love to add diced chicken on top. In a pinch? Simply julienne some deli meat such as oven roasted turkey. Dried fruit such as raisins and raisins are another popular add-on.
DRESSING
We love using Panera’s Poppyseed dressing because it is low calorie (25 kcal per 2 TBS) and contains zero fat! I found this in the produce refrigerator section my local Mariano’s (Chicago’s Kroger chain). However, any poppyseed dressing will do the trick.
MAKING IT AHEAD
You can make the pasta ahead of time. Be sure to mix 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil with the pasta after draining to ensure it does not stick together. You can also prep the fruit ahead of time by slicing the strawberries and draining the oranges, however I would wait to toss all ingredients until serving. DO NOT add the spinach to the salad until it is ready to be served. Spinach will wilt once it comes in contact with other ingredients.
OTHER SEASONING
Once your salad is created, I recommend seasoning to taste. If you feel the salad is too sweet I recommend seasoning with a dash or two of garlic powder and/or onion powder. This will add a hint of savory-ness to your salad. Also, be sure to add salt to taste. My recipe recommends 1 tsp however you may find you prefer more salt.
Serve immediately after adding fruit, spinach and dressing. Undressed pasta is good for up to 4 days in the fridge.
Strawberry Poppy Seed Pasta Salad (gluten free)
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups GF rotini or bowtie pasta (dried, uncooked) (see notes)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup sliced strawberries (stems removed)
- 1/2 cup mandarin oranges (drained)
- 2 tablespoons roasted, salted sunflower kernels (add more to taste)
- 1.5 cups baby spinach
- 1-2 teaspoons salt (see notes)
- 1/4 cup poppy seed dressing (see notes)
Instructions
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil (about 8 cups of water).
- Add pasta to the water and stir. Cook until al dente.
- While pasta is cooking, prepare the other ingredients:– Slice the strawberries– Drain the mandarin oranges
- Once pasta is cooked, drain in colander and rinse with cold water. Next, return pasta to pot and drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil & stir.
- Add pasta, fruit, spinach, sunflower seeds and 1 tsp of salt to serving dish and combine with large serving spoon or toss to combine with salad claws.
- Add dressing and toss again. Season with more salt to taste, or a dash of garlic powder or onion powder to add another savory element.
- Serve immediately after salad is dressed.
