A quick spinach and cheese pasta salad that's easy to prepare and super delicious. Simply cook the pasta and toss it with spinach, cheese, and a simple dressing. How easy is that?

As with all pasta salads, the pasta itself needs to be cooked correctly. Check out my post on how to cook pasta for the how-to. As for which type of pasta, choose whatever you like such as shells, farfalle or spirals.

I use frozen chopped spinach which makes this one of the easiest pasta salads to make. When using frozen, buy it in the bag and not the box.

The bag is easier to defrost because it’s loose and separates easily. They usually come in 16 ounce bags and half a bag is all you need for this recipe.

I buy organic chopped frozen spinach at Trader Joe’s. If you buy a 10 ounce bag, use all of it.

Diced pieces of fresh mozzarella cheese.

Of course you could use fresh baby spinach and chop it up yourself. I have and it comes out just fine. The spinach may have a little bit of a chew because it’s fresh.

Basically, frozen is softer and soft is good here because it mixes well with the simple dressing.

This spinach pasta salad is perfect for when you want a simple side or light meal. It also pairs nicely with cookout menus, as it’s mayo free and therefore isn’t too heavy of a side.

The fresh garlic adds tons of flavor and blends well with the oil and vinegar. Choose between black or crushed red pepper flakes for a little heat.

Closeup of chopped spinach and cubed fresh mozzarella cheese tossed in a dressing.

As for the cheese, use fresh chopped mozzarella, provolone, or feta cheese. Choose whatever makes you happy because that's all that matters!

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SPINACH AND CHEESE PASTA SALAD

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Spinach and cheese pasta salad is quick and delicious. All you have to do is cook the pasta and toss it with spinach, cheese, and a simple dressing. How easy is that?

Serves 4 - 6 as a side dish.

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 20

Author: Natalie Gregory

Equipment Used

Large Bowl

whisk

Ingredients

8 ounces pasta or cheese tortellini
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 cloves garlic minced - if you love garlic add more
8 ounces frozen chopped spinach See Notes 1
8 ounces fresh mozzarella cubed
Kosher salt to taste
½ teaspoon pepper See Notes 2
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper

Instructions

Cook the pasta for 1 minute over what the package suggests for al dente. If it says to cook 8 - 9 minutes, cook it for 9. Otherwise, add 1 minute to the lowest number listed on package. Since this pasta salad is served at room temp or cold, you need to cook it just past al dente or it will be too chewy.
Meanwhile, whisk together the oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add the frozen spinach and break it up so that it's loose, then toss to coat. The spinach will start to thaw when mixed with dressing and should be fine by the time the pasta is done. When the pasta is added, it should be completely thawed.
Drain and rinse pasta with cold water to stop cooking. Combine with spinach mixture and cheese. Toss until combined. Taste and adjust for seasoning, adding more salt if needed.

Notes

Notes 1: Buy spinach that's loosely frozen in a bag. I buy Trader Joe's organic chopped spinach and use ½ a bag. If you use the frozen solid boxed spinach, you will need to thaw it out before using. If all you can find is a 10 ounce package, use all of it.

Notes 2: You can use crushed red pepper for more heat.

If refrigerated, let it come to room temp before serving. You can drizzle with some additional extra virgin olive oil before serving.

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