During the warmer months, sweet and savory flavors are constantly combined to create new and fresh meals. Many summer salad recipes have a sweet component, like strawberries or blueberries. Marinades for your grilled meats can also show off the sweet and savory combo with fruits, like pineapple or even kiwis.
While those are classic examples, recently, the sweet and savory combination has gone viral for a specific dish—and it might sound a little unusual. Tennis star, Iga Swiatek, shared that her go-to post-game meal is strawberry pasta.
You may have never heard of it, but the meal is actually a childhood favorite for many, including the five-time Grand Slam tennis champion.
Iga Swiatek’s Favorite 3-Ingredient Summer Pasta Dish
When asked about her top meal in a post-match interview, Swiatek replied, “I ate it as a kid, it’s pasta with strawberries.” The interviewer was surprised at the answer and commented, “How strange,” to which Swiatek responded, “You should try it, guys.”
She explained that the simple dish consists of, “pasta, strawberries, [and] a little bit of yogurt; it’s just great.”
This is not the first time this year a sweet childhood pasta has gone viral. In April, Giada de Laurentiis shared her recipe for pasta with chocolate, which also went viral for the unique flavor pairing. And people are just as excited about Swiatek’s pasta as they were about de Laurentiis’. On TikTok, one viewer commented, “You can’t go wrong with pasta and strawberries, but yogurt too? This combo is a Grand Slam!”
While strawberry pasta may seem like a unique dish, it’s actually a traditional meal served in Poland (where Swiatek is from) during the summer, called “Makaron z Truskawkami,” which viewers were quick to point out in the comments.
“Traditional Polish summer meal – pasta, strawberries with yoghurt/cream, it’s a classic,” wrote one. “You won’t understand it until you try it. Every child in Poland knows it,” another commented. “I always had this for dinner in kindergarten in Poland. Best taste ever,” a fan wrote.
As someone who loves to try different food combinations, I couldn’t wait to make strawberry pasta.
I Tried the Strawberry Pasta and Here Is My Honest Review
Maddie Pedone
I was unsure of what to expect when I began making the strawberry pasta. I had never tasted a sweet pasta sauce before, but considering I eat pasta almost every day, I was excited to try something different.
I didn’t follow an exact recipe, but I did watch TikToker @mat.suchecki to see the process he used to make the dish. I cooked a pot of pasta, according to package instructions, and drained it. I then made the strawberry sauce using the ingredients Swiatek listed in her post-match interview; mashing a few strawberries into a rough purée and mixing it with a spoonful of Greek-style yogurt. Then, I poured the sauce straight on top of the hot pasta.
Looking at the dish, the light pink sauce was really pretty—but the real test was the taste. I took a bite and knew immediately it was missing something, as the tartness from the yogurt and sweetness from the strawberries weren’t coming together. I added a little salt on top and that changed it completely. Suddenly, the flavors melded together and I was biting into a refreshing summer pasta.
The sauce was sweeter than the average pasta dish, but it wasn’t like eating a straight-up strawberry and noodle together. It tasted like pasta in a sweetened cream sauce, almost like pasta with ricotta cheese or pasta salad.
The strawberry pasta was very different, but I must say, as I am writing this, I am craving another bowl. It is light and refreshing; a perfect option for a hot day. The meal takes advantage of strawberry season and allows for a new twist on a summer pasta. Iga Swiatek, thank you for not only gracing me with your amazing tennis skills, but for introducing me to my new go-to summer pasta.