This sweet Polish pasta will be your new favorite summer meal

by | food

pasta with strawberry slices

Most Poles would’ve never guessed that a favorite childhood dish would go viral around the world in 2025, but after Iga Świątek announced her go-to meal, a certain Polish pasta has been making waves. In an interview after a match, the Polish tennis player and women’s champion at this year’s Wimbledon shared her favorite dish: “I ate it as a kid. It’s pasta with strawberries. … Pasta, strawberries, a little bit of yogurt. It’s just great.” Following non-stop Wimbledon coverage — coupled with how unexpected Iga’s choice of pasta was, especially for those who didn’t grow up in Poland — the dish quickly went viral. Even the prime minister of Poland posted a photo of himself on X eating strawberry pasta in support of the tennis champ.

Strawberry-yogurt pasta is a classic dish in Poland

Pasta with strawberries and yogurt (“makaron z truskawkami” in Polish) might seem like an odd combo, but it makes total sense in Poland. First, Poland is reportedly the second-largest producer of strawberries in the European Union, and many Poles associate summer with the juicy berry. On top of that, Polish cuisine commonly incorporates fruit into dishes — including those that may typically be salty or savory in other countries, such as dumplings or soup. So, in Poland, strawberries on pasta is kind of a no-brainer.

Children in the Central European country grow up eating makaron z truskawkami, especially once strawberries hit store shelves in the warmer months. The flavor is refreshing on hot days, and given that the fruit and yogurt don’t require cooking, it can be a relief to prepare during a heat wave (when the last thing you want to do is have multiple burners going in your kitchen).

If you want to prepare Polish strawberry and yogurt pasta yourself, you only need a few ingredients: pasta, strawberries, yogurt or another cream (such as sour cream or heavy cream), and sugar. You could keep the strawberries whole, as the prime minister did in his photo, but most recipes call for mashing the fruit with some sugar to sweeten it. Then, mix the mashed berries with yogurt or cream, and pour the sauce over your plate of drained, cooked pasta. For extra credit, top the dish with strawberry slices, mint leaves, or other pretty garnishes of your choice.