Description
Cozy Fall Harvest Pasta Salad with roasted sweet potato, cranberries, spinach, and feta in creamy poppyseed dressing. Sweet, savory, and tangy. Ready in 40 minutes.
Ingredients
2 cups dry pasta (cavatappi recommended)
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced
2 tsp olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
¼ cup pumpkin seeds
¼ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup red onion, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
¼ cup feta cheese, crumbled
¼ cup poppyseed dressing
Instructions
1. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente, then drain and rinse with cold water.
2. Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss diced sweet potatoes with olive oil, salt, and pepper, then roast for 25–30 minutes until tender. Let cool.
3. In a large bowl, combine cooked pasta, roasted sweet potatoes, chopped spinach, cranberries, pumpkin seeds, red onion, and thyme.
4. Add poppyseed dressing and mix until evenly coated.
5. Top with crumbled feta cheese before serving.
Notes
You can use any pasta shape, but cavatappi holds dressing well.
Add protein like grilled chicken or chickpeas for a fuller meal.
Roasted butternut squash can be used instead of sweet potato.
Use goat cheese in place of feta if preferred.
Pasta salad can be served cold or at room temperature.
Red onion can be soaked in cold water to reduce sharpness.
Best served fresh or within 3 days if stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
Dressing can be adjusted to taste or swapped for vinaigrette.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Thanksgiving
- Method: Boil, Roast, Toss
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 260
- Sugar: 8g
- Fat: 10g
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 6g