Healthy Spinach Pasta Salad with Cranberries and Feta Cheese

Here is my favorite spinach pasta salad with cranberries and feta cheese, loaded with peppery arugula, toasted walnuts, sweet raisins, and a tangy balsamic vinaigrette that brings everything together.

This pasta salad is perfect for potlucks and summer barbecues. I love making a big batch on Sunday because it actually tastes better the next day after all the flavors have had time to mix together in the fridge.

What Kind of Pasta Should I Use?

For this salad, you’ll want to pick a pasta shape that can catch and hold onto the dressing and other ingredients. Short pasta shapes like rotini, penne, or farfalle work really well because their nooks and crannies grab onto the greens, cranberries, and feta. If you’re looking for a healthier option, whole wheat pasta adds a nice nutty flavor that pairs well with the balsamic dressing, though regular pasta works just fine too. You can even use gluten-free pasta if needed – just be careful not to overcook it since it can get mushy faster than regular pasta.

Options for Substitutions

This pasta salad is really forgiving when it comes to swapping ingredients:

• Pasta: Any short pasta shape works great here – try penne, fusilli, farfalle, or rotini. Whole wheat or chickpea pasta are good options if you want extra nutrition or a gluten-free version.
• Spinach and arugula: You can use all spinach or all arugula if that’s what you have. Kale works too, just chop it finely and massage it a bit with olive oil to soften the leaves.
• Cranberries: Dried cherries, chopped dried apricots, or even pomegranate seeds make tasty swaps. If using fresh pomegranate, add them right before serving so they stay crisp.
• Walnuts: Pecans, almonds, or pine nuts all bring that nice crunch. Toast them lightly in a dry pan for extra flavor.
• Feta cheese: Goat cheese crumbles or shaved parmesan work nicely. For a dairy-free version, just leave the cheese out – the salad still tastes great.
• Honey: Maple syrup or agave nectar work as substitutes. Use the same amount and adjust to taste.
• Balsamic vinegar: Red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar can step in, though you might want to add a touch more honey to balance the tanginess.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making pasta salad is adding the dressing while the pasta is still warm, which causes the greens to wilt and turn brown – always let your pasta cool completely to room temperature first.

Overcooking your pasta is another common issue that leads to mushy salad, so aim to cook it just until al dente since it will soften a bit more as it sits in the dressing.

When whisking together your dressing, make sure to add the olive oil slowly in a steady stream while whisking constantly, which helps create a smooth, emulsified dressing that coats the pasta evenly instead of separating.

Finally, don’t toss everything together too far in advance – add the spinach and arugula just before serving to keep them fresh and crisp, and save a little extra dressing on the side since pasta tends to absorb it as it sits in the fridge.

What to Serve With Spinach Pasta Salad?

This pasta salad is pretty filling on its own, but it pairs beautifully with grilled chicken breasts or salmon if you want to add some protein to your meal. It’s also a great side dish for summer barbecues – think grilled burgers, hot dogs, or even some marinated chicken skewers. Since the salad has sweet and tangy flavors from the cranberries and balsamic dressing, it goes really well with simple grilled meats that aren’t too heavily seasoned. For a vegetarian spread, serve it alongside some hummus, pita bread, and maybe some grilled vegetables like zucchini or bell peppers.

Storage Instructions

Store: This pasta salad actually gets better after sitting in the fridge for a few hours as the flavors meld together. Keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The greens might wilt a bit over time, but it still tastes great!

Make Ahead: I love prepping this salad the night before for parties or meal prep. You can cook the pasta and make the dressing ahead, then toss everything together a few hours before serving. If you’re making it more than a day ahead, consider adding the greens and feta right before serving to keep them fresh.

Serve: This salad is best served chilled or at room temperature. If it’s been in the fridge, let it sit out for about 15 minutes before serving and give it a good toss. You might want to drizzle a little extra olive oil or balsamic if it seems dry after storing.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2350-2500
• Protein: 45-55 g
• Fat: 110-125 g
• Carbohydrates: 310-340 g

Ingredients

For the salad:

• 1.25 lb pasta (I always use Barilla rotini for the best texture)
• 3 cups spinach
• 2 cups arugula
• 1/2 cup cranberries (I use Ocean Spray craisins for a nice tartness)
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup walnuts (toasted for 5 minutes for a deeper nutty flavor)
• 1/2 cup feta

For the dressing:

• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1.5 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard (I prefer Grey Poupon for a sharper kick)
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 cloves minced garlic or 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 3/4 cup olive oil (extra-virgin produces a much richer dressing)

Step 1: Toast Walnuts and Prepare Mise en Place

• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and lightly browned—this deepens their nutty flavor and adds a pleasant crunch to the salad.

While they cool slightly, mince your garlic cloves (or measure out garlic powder) and gather all your remaining ingredients so everything is ready to go.

Step 2: Cook and Cool the Pasta

• 1.25 lb pasta

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente (usually 8-10 minutes).

Drain the pasta in a colander and spread it on a baking sheet or large plate to cool completely—this prevents the pasta from becoming mushy and allows the dressing to coat each piece evenly rather than clumping together.

Step 3: Make the Vinaigrette Dressing

• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1.5 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• 2 cloves minced garlic from Step 1
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 3/4 cup olive oil

In a separate bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until well combined.

Slowly drizzle in the extra-virgin olive oil while whisking constantly to create a well-emulsified dressing—the oil should incorporate smoothly rather than separate.

I prefer extra-virgin olive oil for its richer, more complex flavor that really elevates this simple salad.

Step 4: Assemble the Salad

• cooked and cooled pasta from Step 2
• 3 cups spinach
• 2 cups arugula
• 1/2 cup cranberries
• 1/4 cup raisins
• toasted walnuts from Step 1
• 1/2 cup feta

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta from Step 2 with the spinach, arugula, cranberries, raisins, toasted walnuts from Step 1, and crumbled feta cheese.

Toss everything together gently until the greens and other ingredients are evenly distributed throughout the pasta.

Step 5: Dress and Finish the Salad

• dressed salad from Step 4
• vinaigrette from Step 3

Pour the vinaigrette from Step 3 over the assembled salad and toss thoroughly until all the ingredients are coated evenly with dressing.

I like to let the salad sit for 10-15 minutes before serving so the flavors meld together and the greens soften slightly—this creates a more cohesive dish than serving it immediately.

Healthy Spinach Pasta Salad with Cranberries and Feta Cheese

Delicious Healthy Spinach Pasta Salad with Cranberries and Feta Cheese recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 2425

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

For the salad::

• 1.25 lb pasta (I always use Barilla rotini for the best texture)
• 3 cups spinach
• 2 cups arugula
• 1/2 cup cranberries (I use Ocean Spray craisins for a nice tartness)
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup walnuts (toasted for 5 minutes for a deeper nutty flavor)
• 1/2 cup feta

For the dressing::

• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1.5 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard (I prefer Grey Poupon for a sharper kick)
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 cloves minced garlic or 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 3/4 cup olive oil (extra-virgin produces a much richer dressing)

Method

 

1. Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and lightly browned—this deepens their nutty flavor and adds a pleasant crunch to the salad. While they cool slightly, mince your garlic cloves (or measure out garlic powder) and gather all your remaining ingredients so everything is ready to go.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente (usually 8-10 minutes). Drain the pasta in a colander and spread it on a baking sheet or large plate to cool completely—this prevents the pasta from becoming mushy and allows the dressing to coat each piece evenly rather than clumping together.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until well combined. Slowly drizzle in the extra-virgin olive oil while whisking constantly to create a well-emulsified dressing—the oil should incorporate smoothly rather than separate. I prefer extra-virgin olive oil for its richer, more complex flavor that really elevates this simple salad.
4. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta from Step 2 with the spinach, arugula, cranberries, raisins, toasted walnuts from Step 1, and crumbled feta cheese. Toss everything together gently until the greens and other ingredients are evenly distributed throughout the pasta.
5. Pour the vinaigrette from Step 3 over the assembled salad and toss thoroughly until all the ingredients are coated evenly with dressing. I like to let the salad sit for 10-15 minutes before serving so the flavors meld together and the greens soften slightly—this creates a more cohesive dish than serving it immediately.