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Easy fruit pasta salad with orzo, fresh berries, spinach, and feta in a white balsamic vinaigrette. Ready in 20 minutes — perfect for summer cookouts and potlucks.
This is the salad I bring to every summer cookout when I want something that holds its own next to the ribs and the corn.
Orzo, fresh strawberries and blueberries, baby spinach, and crumbled feta — all tossed in a white balsamic vinaigrette with just enough Dijon to keep it interesting. It looks impressive on a table and takes about 20 minutes to pull together.
The dressing is what makes it.
A minced shallot goes into the vinaigrette and mellows as it sits — not sharp, just a quiet savory note that balances the sweet berries.
I use white balsamic here, which keeps the dressing pale and bright so it doesn’t darken the fruit.
A squeeze of lemon and a little honey, and it comes together into something that works with everything on the plate.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This salad travels well, holds up for hours, and gets better as it sits — which means it is still good when people actually get to it.
The berries and spinach are the star, the feta adds salt and creaminess, and the orzo gives it enough substance to work as a side or a light lunch on its own.
How to Make Fruit Pasta Salad
- Cook the orzo in well-salted boiling water according to package directions — usually 8 to 9 minutes until tender. Drain, rinse with cold water to stop the cooking, and spread on a baking sheet to cool completely. Cold orzo is essential here; warm pasta will wilt the spinach and turn the berries soft.
- While the orzo cools, make the dressing. Add the minced shallot, olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, honey, and Dijon to a small jar. Add chia seeds if using. Season with salt and pepper and shake well to combine. Taste and adjust — if it needs more brightness, add a little more lemon; if it’s too sharp, a touch more honey.
- Pat the sliced strawberries dry with a paper towel — this keeps the dressing from getting watery. Add the cooled orzo, baby spinach, strawberries, and blueberries to a large bowl. You can add blackberries now or at the end, to prevent them from bleeding color into the salad,
- Pour the dressing over and toss gently to coat. Fold in the crumbled feta.
- Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving so the flavors come together. (Optional) – Right before serving, add the blackberries whole on top — do not toss them in. This keeps them from bleeding into the dressing and turning everything purple.
- Taste one more time and adjust salt if needed.
- You can add pecans or any nuts of your choice for crunch.
Tips
The shallot is worth using. You could swap it for red onion, but shallot is milder and blends into the dressing rather than announcing itself. After the salad sits for 30 minutes, you taste it but don’t see it — that’s the right amount.
Dress it close to serving. The dressing keeps separately in the jar for up to 3 days. If you’re making this for a cookout, prep all the components the night before and toss everything together an hour before you leave.
What to Serve With This Berry Pasta Salad
This salad works alongside almost anything coming off the grill — ribs, chicken, grilled corn, or mahi mahi. It is also good enough to serve as a standalone lunch with some crusty bread on the side.
More Pasta Salad Recipes
Fruit Pasta Salad with White Balsamic Dressing
Ingredients
- For the salad:
- 1½ cups dry orzo
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1½ cups strawberries, hulled and sliced
- 1 cup blueberries
- ½ cup blackberries, added whole on top at serving
- ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled
- For the dressing:
- 1 small shallot, finely minced
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp chia seeds, optional
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook orzo in salted boiling water until tender, 8–9 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Spread on a baking sheet to cool completely.
- Combine all dressing ingredients in a small jar. Shake well. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Pat sliced strawberries dry with a paper towel. Add cooled orzo, spinach, strawberries, and blueberries to a large bowl. Pour dressing over and toss gently to coat.
- Fold in crumbled feta. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving.
- Right before serving, place blackberries whole on top. Do not toss in.
Notes
- Chia seeds are optional — the dressing works without them.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
FAQs For Berry Pasta Salad
Can I make this fruit pasta salad ahead of time? Yes — this is one of the best things about it. Cook the orzo and make the dressing up to a day ahead, then store them separately in the fridge. Combine with the fresh berries and spinach about an hour before serving. Fully dressed, the salad holds well for up to 4 hours; after that the spinach starts to soften.
What can I use instead of orzo? Any small pasta shape works — ditalini, small shells, or couscous. If you want a gluten-free version, use a small gluten-free pasta or quinoa. The key is keeping the pasta pieces small so they mix evenly with the berries.
Can I swap the berries? Use whatever is ripe and in season. Cherries (pitted and halved) work well in place of blueberries. Sliced peaches or nectarines are good additions if you want to add stone fruit. Avoid watermelon — it releases too much juice and makes the salad watery. Whatever you use, always add any very soft or dark berries whole at the end rather than tossing them in.
How long does this salad hold once dressed? Up to 4 hours dressed — the orzo keeps its texture and the dressing does not require refrigeration for the first few hours. After that the spinach starts to soften. If you need it to last longer, keep the dressing separate and toss it on-site.
