Greek Pasta Salad (Printable version)
Colorful Mediterranean pasta toss with feta, olives, and crisp veggies in a zesty lemon dressing.
# What you need:
→ Pasta
01 - 10 oz short pasta such as penne, rotini, or fusilli
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 English cucumber, diced
03 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
04 - 7 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
05 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
06 - 3.5 oz Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
→ Cheese & Herbs
07 - 5 oz feta cheese, cubed or crumbled
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
09 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped (optional)
→ Dressing
10 - 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
11 - 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
12 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
13 - 1 garlic clove, minced
14 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
15 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
16 - Zest of 1 lemon
# How to make it:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water until completely cooled. Set aside to drain thoroughly.
02 - In a large salad bowl, combine the cooled pasta, diced cucumber, diced red bell pepper, halved cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced red onion, and halved Kalamata olives. Toss gently to distribute evenly.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, minced garlic, salt, freshly ground black pepper, and lemon zest until well emulsified and smooth.
04 - Pour the prepared dressing over the pasta and vegetable mixture. Toss thoroughly to ensure all ingredients are evenly coated with the dressing.
05 - Gently fold in the feta cheese cubes or crumbles, chopped parsley, and dill if using, taking care not to break apart the feta pieces.
06 - Taste the salad and adjust the salt and pepper as desired. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld together.
# Expert tips:
01 -
- The lemon zest in the dressing wakes up every single vegetable and makes people ask what your secret is.
- It comes together in thirty minutes with zero cooking finesse required.
02 -
- Rinsing the pasta is essential here because residual heat will wilt your vegetables and melt the feta into a cloudy mess.
- The salad tastes noticeably better after resting because the pasta absorbs the dressing and the vegetables release their juices into the mix.
03 -
- Cube the feta rather than crumbling it because those distinct little salty pockets in every bite are what make this salad special.
- Let the dressing sit for five minutes after whisking before pouring it on so the garlic and oregano have time to bloom in the oil and vinegar.