Fruited Smoked Turkey Salad

A summer pasta salad that swings sweet-savory hard. Smoked turkey, cubed cantaloupe, sliced strawberries, and mostaccioli tumbled together with toasted almonds and scallion for crunch. The smoky turkey is the anchor that keeps the fruit from reading like dessert.

Two steps protect the texture. Toast the almonds first (5 to 10 minutes at 350°F/175°C until golden and fragrant) and rinse the cooked pasta cold so it stops cooking and chills fast. Warm pasta wilts strawberries the minute they hit the bowl.

Build the salad without the strawberries and nuts, dress it, then chill 1 to 2 hours to let the flavors marry. The soft fruit and toasted nuts go in last, right before serving, so nothing turns soggy or loses its snap.

Kitchen Tips

• Slice the strawberries just before serving. Pre-sliced strawberries weep juice and turn the salad pink-tinged and wet.
• Use a ripe, fragrant cantaloupe for the best sweet-savory contrast. Underripe melon tastes watery against the smoked turkey.
• Toast the almonds until properly golden, not pale. Undertoasted nuts taste bland and lose crunch faster once the salad sits.
• Serve on a bed of butter lettuce or arugula for a plated lunch presentation.

Variations

• Swap cantaloupe for honeydew, watermelon, or a mix of summer melons.
• Use smoked chicken breast or prosciutto in place of turkey for a different cured-meat angle.
• Toss in crumbled feta or goat cheese for a tangy, salty counterpoint to the fruit.