autumn pasta salad

Photo by The Culinary Nest

I wanted a salad that tasted like the crisp season that is falling upon us. The citrus notes of the mandarin oranges and lemon juice, the tart bite of the Granny Smith apple, the sweetness from the dried cherries and the salty note from the feta cheese are a medley that you want to try. This Autumn Pasta Salad would be the perfect dish to make for any football party, weekday meal prep or fall gathering.

Recipe by: The Culinary Nest

MAKES

6-8 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups dry small pasta, cooked

5 ounces fresh spinach (about 2-3 large handfuls), washed and destemmed

3 celery stalks, chopped

3/4 cup dried cherries

2 mandarin oranges, peeled & cut into bite sixed pieces (naval orange would be delish too!)

1 large Granny Smith Apple (or Honeycrisp!), cut into bite sized cubes

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/3 cup pecans or walnuts, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup feta cheese

white wine vinaigrette

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

2-4 tablespoons white sugar

1/8 teaspoon paprika

1/8 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 tablespoon poppyseeds

METHOD

1. While the pasta is cooking, prepare the dressing by whisking all of the ingredients together until well combined.

2. Drain the pasta and run under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool.

3. Meanwhile, combine the spinach, celery, dried cherries & mandarin oranges in a bowl. After cutting into bite sized pieces toss the apple with the lemon juice and then add to the salad mixture.

4. Place the cooled pasta in a bowl, add the salad mixture and dressing, and mix together thoroughly.

5. Top the salad with the pecans and feta cheese. (*another delicious option would be to either toast or candy the pecans!)

6. Enjoy!