When Iga Swiatek announced at Wimbledon that she ate pasta covered with strawberries and yogurt before every one of her tennis matches, the crowd audibly gasped; the MC interviewing could only muster a “how strange” in response. Of course the clip–and the dish, Makaron z truskawkami–went viral.
But do you know to whom such a dish is entirely not strange? A toddler. Anyone who has ever been, well, a child knows exactly what the combo of fruit, diary, and carbs are: a proven mainline to a child’s dopamine system. Sure, strawberries and cream, strawberry shortcake, or a trifle are all more glamorous examples of pairing of said elements, but we’re guessing your formative encounters with these ingredients was as plebeian and elemental as ours—a strawberry jam and cream cheese sandwich on white bread. Some forty years later, we can still go into Proustian reminiscences about the first time we encountered that marvel.
So strawberry yogurt pasta for toddlers is hardly strange at all; in fact, it may be an essential way of getting your child into pasta. (Because I assume you hardly have to worry about his/her dairy and/or berry consumption.) It’s easy to make; it’s easy to like–like, pasta as a snack. Our child got it immediately; our 23 year-old caregiver wolfed down two servings. We parents just smiled: it’s a dumb dish, but a sensible one. Toddlers should be eating it.
Here’s how to make strawberry yogurt pasta for toddlers, and make it good.
🍓 Strawberry Yogurt Pasta (For Toddlers!)
Yes, you read that right: strawberry yogurt pasta. It’s sweet. It’s pink. And somehow, it works.
This dish went viral after tennis star Iga Swiatek revealed it was her go-to post-match meal—and while that might sound like TikTok-level chaos, the roots of this combo actually go deep in Polish home cooking. Think of it like buttered noodles’ sugary cousin: comforting, creamy, and just adventurous enough to break a toddler out of their “plain pasta only” phase.
This version is tweaked for younger eaters—it’s slightly overcooked for tenderness, just sweet enough to be fun without feeling like dessert, and visually gentle on the senses. And yes, you can totally cheat with store-bought strawberry yogurt and still feel great about it.
🥄 Ingredients Overview
- Rotini or another curly pasta: helps catch the creamy sauce
- Yogurt: full-fat works best here, especially if your toddler is used to creamier textures
- Strawberries: fresh, sugared, and lightly smashed to release flavor
- Sugar: just a sprinkle to help the strawberries bloom
- Basil powder + salt: small dashes to wake things up without overwhelming
🔧 How to Make Strawberry Yogurt Pasta
- Prep the berries – Hull the strawberries, sprinkle with sugar, and refrigerate to draw out the juices.
- Cook the pasta – Salt your boiling water, then slightly overcook the pasta by about a minute for toddler-friendly softness.
- Smash and swirl – Mash the strawberries until juicy, then mix in the yogurt until it turns pink and creamy.
- Sauce it up – Add drained pasta to a bowl, spoon over the yogurt sauce, then sprinkle with basil and a tiny bit of salt.
- Serve unmixed (at first) – Let the colors stay separate to make the dish more approachable for skeptical toddlers.
🧠 FAQ
Can I use flavored yogurt instead of fresh strawberries?
Absolutely. The honest truth is your toddler probably won’t care. Strawberry yogurt straight from the fridge works great in a pinch (or on a night when the dishwasher is already running).
Is this supposed to be hot or cold?
Either works. Lukewarm is the safest bet—especially if your child is picky about temperature. You can refrigerate leftovers and serve chilled, or warm the pasta slightly before adding the sauce.
What pasta shapes work best?
Stick to short, grippy shapes like rotini, fusilli, or small shells. Avoid long noodles—they tend to slide around and don’t hold the sauce well for small hands or forks.
Is this sweet enough to be dessert?
It leans lightly sweet, but not cloying. It works better as a lunch or snack than an actual dessert—though you could bump up the sugar and call it “pasta pudding” if that helps get it down.
🔄 Adapt It
- Shortcut it: Use store-bought strawberry yogurt (or even strawberry jam stirred into plain yogurt). No shame, no judgment.
- Swap the fruit: Raspberries, cherries, or even mashed bananas could work here, though they’ll change the flavor.
- Change the shape: Mini bowties or ditalini are great swaps if that’s what you have on hand. Just don’t use spaghetti—it turns this into a slippery mess.
- Make it grown-up: Add fresh mint, a squeeze of lemon, or a dusting of parmesan to elevate your own bowl.
Check out our other great pasta recipes!
Make Strawberry Yogurt Pasta For Toddlers (a la Iga Swiatek)
Description
Sure, this blend of strawberries, yogurt, and twisty pasta shapes has gone viral thanks to Iga Swiatek's comments about it at Wimbledon, but once you see your child wolf down a whole bowl of it you'll see it's the platonic ideal of a toddler meal--and a sure lunchtime staple in the months and years to follow.
Ingredients
Instructions
Prep, Cook, and Assemble
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Remove the steam and hulls of the strawberries. Sprinkle sugar all over strawberries; cover and refrigerate for at least 30-60 minutes.
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Bring water to a boil, salting once it roils; add in pasta and cook according to package directions. (Note: with toddlers, we like to cook pasta about one minute past indicated time to ensure tenderness.)
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While pasta cooks, smash strawberries until juice is released and just chunks of berry remain; add yogurt over the berry pieces and continue mixing and smashing until the yogurt turns pink and the mixture is mostly smooth with a few chunks.
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Drain your pasta, then add it to a serving bowl. Top with strawberry yogurt sauce, then sprinkle two pinches each of salt and basil.
Serve
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If your child is used to eating pasta a certain way (i.e., with just tomato sauce and/or butter on top), it may help visually to initially present the dish as shown in the recipe photo–that is, unmixed. Once your child sees what’s in it, mix the pasta and sauce and serve. If your child is still picky or sensitive about textures, try separating out the strawberry chunks and presenting on top of the pasta.
Adapt
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Obviously, you could just buy strawberry yogurt and skip basically all the steps; no one would know or care (especially not your child). Feel free to use strawberry jam or jelly in place of strawberries; switch out pasta shapes at your convenience (but don’t use noodles).
