Spinach & Feta Pasta Salad

How do you get my kids to eat cooked spinach? Serve it with their favorite things–pasta, cheese, and olives–and they’ll be happy. This is one of my most-requested recipes. I bring it to potlucks and summer parties, using whatever pasta I have on hand. It can be made gluten-free by substituting GF pasta and making sure the Italian dressing does not contain gluten.

Spinach & Feta Pasta Salad

1/2 lb. Pasta (bow ties are pretty, but I use whatever I’ve gotten on sale)
1/2 bag Fresh Baby Spinach, chopped
1/2 cup Italian Dressing
Small can sliced olives, drained
2 Tomatoes, chopped
1/2 can Garbanzo Beans, drained and rinsed to remove sodium
Crumbled Feta Cheese

Cook the pasta to al dente. At the end of the cooking time, tear the spinach into pieces and throw into the cooking water to wilt. Drain in a colander, and put back into the pot (removed from heat). Add Italian dressing and stir to coat. Add chopped tomatoes, sliced olives, and garbanzo beans. You can choose to toss the feta into the warm salad (it will melt a bit) or serve it on top as a garnish. This is delicious warm but is also great the next day chilled, as the flavors meld together even more.

Once you know how to make this, you can add and subtract vegetables, types of beans, and types of pasta depending on what you have handy. For less fat, you can use reduced-fat Feta and fat-free Italian dressing.


This recipe is linked up to Foodie Friday at Design by Gollum, Friday Favorites at Simply Sweet Home, It’s a Keeper’s Recipe Linky, MomTrends Recipe Linkup, Feasting in Fellowship Friday at Comfy in the Kitchen, Let’s Eat Y’all at Flip Flops & Pearls, and Life as Mom’s Ultimate Recipe Swap.