The Best Fresh Spinach Salad with Pasta

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Do you choose the greens first in a salad and then add other veggies?  Or do you open the fridge and search for veggies and then grab the greens?
What about fresh spinach?  If you told your family, you are choosing fresh spinach, do you hear groans?
Most spinach salads have the same ingredients, onions, eggs, and bacon and it is delicious but does it have that wow factor that silences all those groans?
Don’t get me wrong, I am a traditionist in most things and I love a great spinach salad but I also like to shake our meals up a little.

And shake up this salad, we did with this Spinach Salad with Pasta.  This salad is loaded with healthy fresh spinach, whole grain penne pasta, ripe olives, fresh tomatoes, feta cheese and a homemade dressing.

We make our dressing with wine vinegar, virgin olive oil, parmesan cheese and fragrant herbs.   Shaken together, it created an emulsion of flavors that would accent any salad.
*Tip:   Use this dressing as a marinade for chicken or fish
 

Most meals we have a salad, either with a wrap for lunch or to start off our evening meal.   We love a plain lettuce and tomato salad but sometimes we wish for something different and this Spinach Salad with Pasta satisfied that wish.
Of course, this salad could also be the main dish and would make a great Meatless Monday meal.
This Fresh Spinach and Pasta salad is also very versatile, add grilled chicken breast, beef or tuna to turn this into a main dish.

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Spinach Salad with Pasta

Prep Time

15 mins

 

Fresh Spinach with penne pasta and feta cheese. Topped with a homemade vinaigrette dressing

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American, Italian

Keyword: Salad with Pasta

Servings: 4

Author: Evelyn

Ingredients

For the Salad

• 16 oz penne pasta
• 6 oz fresh baby spinach
• 3 tomatoes seeded and chopped
• 4 oz feta cheese crumbled
• 3 green onions sliced
• 1/2 cup black olives sliced

For the Vinaigrette

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/3 cup parmesan cheese grated
• 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 2 garlic cloves minced well
• 1 tsp oregano dried
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

1. Cook pasta accordingly to packages directions, (al dente), drain and rinse in cold water; set aside.
2. Whisk the ingredients for the vinaigrette together
3. In a large salad bowl, add cooled pasta, baby spinach, tomatoes, feta cheese, onions and black olives
4. Add vinaigrette and toss well to coat evenly

If you like this Spinach Salad with Pasta then try these:

 

Texas Summer Salad with Jalapenos and Grilled Chicken

 

Feta Cheese, Cranberry, and Pecan Salad

 

Southwest Corn Salad