Autumn Apple Pasta Salad with Poppyseed Dressing
Celebrate the harvest season with this vibrant autumn pasta salad. Featuring crisp Fuji apples, baby spinach, buttery pecans, dried cherries, and mandarin oranges, this dish is tied together with a light, zest-infused poppyseed vinaigrette. It is a perfect, refreshing balance of sweet, tangy, and crunchy textures that makes for a satisfying lunch or an impressive side dish for any neighborhood gathering.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 10
- Total Time: 25
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Boiling and Mixing
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
10 ounces fresh baby spinach
1.5 cups uncooked rotini pasta
3 stalks celery, thinly sliced
2 Fuji apples, chopped
1/2 cup pecans, toasted
1/2 cup dried cherries
1 can (11 oz) mandarin oranges, drained
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 teaspoon poppyseeds
Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
Cook pasta according to package instructions, drain, and rinse with cold water.
In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, orange zest, and poppyseeds to create the dressing.
Add the cooled rotini to the dressing and toss to coat.
Add the spinach, sliced celery, chopped apples, dried cherries, and mandarin oranges to the bowl.
Sprinkle in the toasted pecans and gently toss all ingredients together.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve immediately or refrigerate for an hour to allow flavors to meld.
Notes
This salad keeps well for up to 2 days in the refrigerator. If preparing ahead, keep the pecans separate and add them right before serving to maintain their crunch. You can substitute the rotini with fusilli or cavatappi pasta.