Autumn pasta salad is so wonderful. It is a great way to combine pasta and fruits and vegetables, with a little extra crunch with pecans.
Sometimes I like to have a nice healthier salad with those yummy fruits and vegetables. Also those good fats with your olive oil.
What Ingredients Do I Need For Autumn Pasta Salad?
Here’s a list of ingredients you’ll need to make this salad (scroll down for the full recipe):
Salad:
- Fresh spinach
- Dry small pasta
- Granny Smith Apple
- Fresh squeezed lemon juice
- Chopped celery
- Mandarin oranges
- Crasins
- Pecans
- *Optional: Feta cheese or grated mozzarella
Dressing:
- Apple cider vinegar
- White sugar
- Paprika
- Onion powder
- Poppy seeds
- Olive oil
- Fine sea salt
- Freshly cracked pepper
How Do I Make Autumn Pasta Salad?
Here’s the simple steps you’ll follow to make this salad (scroll down for the full recipe):
Salad:
- Cook the pasta according to package directions to al dente; add salt.
- When the pasta is cooked, drain the water off the pasta and run cold water over it.
- Place 2 – 3 Tablespoons of dressing with the pasta, put it in the refrigerator.
- Next you will want to slice the apple very thin or go ahead and cut into chunks, then put the lemon juice over the apples as this will help so that the apples do not turn brown.
- Then chop the celery into small chunks.
- Add the drained oranges.
- In a large bowl, place the pasta and the spinach.
- Then add the apples, celery, oranges, craisins and chopped pecans.
- If desired add feta, or mozzarella cheese.
- When you are ready to serve the salad, drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss to combine.
Dressing:
- In a bottle with a pump, or a jar, mix the vinegar, sugar, paprika, onion powder, poppy seeds, olive oil, salt and pepper.
- Place the lid on the jar and shake well.
- Or you can add poppy seed dressing if desired.
- The spinach goes soft, and so it doesn’t store very long.
Tips and Tricks For Autumn Pasta Salad:
- Autumn pasta salad does not store very well, so it should be eaten shortly after the dressing is drizzled over the salad. The dressing tends to wilt the spinach. You can eat it the next day, but it doesn’t look real great!
- If you make the dressing ahead of time, do not store it in the fridge because it separates and clumps.
- You could also add chicken if you want. It is great if you have a rotisserie chicken and very convenient.
- And I like to use a red or green apple, but any apple that you enjoy is great!
More Delicious Salads:
Yield: 10 people
Autumn Pasta Salad
Autumn pasta salad is a fun salad for the fall season. Packed with flavor and some crunchy fruits and vegetables.
Prep Time
30 minutes
Total Time
30 minutes
Ingredients
Salad:
- 5 ounces fresh spinach (half a 10 ounce bag) (6 cups; 140g)
- 1 cup dry small pasta
- 1 large Granny Smith Apple, thinly sliced, or chopped if you like
- 1 fresh squeezed teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 1 (11 ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained
- 1/2 cup dried crasins
- 1/3 cup pecans, chopped in chunks
- *Optional: Feta cheese or grated mozzarella
Dressing or Poppy Seed dressing:
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 - 4 Tablespoons white sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 Tablespoon poppy seeds
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon Fine sea salt
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
Instructions
Salad:
- Cook the pasta according to package directions to al dente; add salt.
- While the pasta is cooking make the dressing.
- When the pasta is cooked, drain the water off the pasta and run cold water over it.
- Place 2 - 3 Tablespoons of dressing with the pasta, put it in the refrigerator.
- Next you will want to slice the apple very thin or go ahead and cut into chunks, then put the lemon juice over the apples as this will help so that the apples do not turn brown.
- Then chop the celery into small chunks.
- Add the drained oranges.
- In a large bowl, place the pasta and the spinach.
- Then add the apples, celery, oranges, craisins and chopped pecans.
- If desired add feta, or mozzarella cheese.
- When you are ready to serve the salad, drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss to combine.
Dressing:
- In a bottle with a pump, or a jar, mix the vinegar, sugar, paprika, onion powder, poppy seeds, olive oil, salt and pepper.
- Place the lid on the jar and shake well.
- Or you can add poppy seed dressing if desired.
- The spinach goes soft, and so it doesn't store very long.