Greek Pasta Salad (Print View)
Mediterranean pasta tossed with fresh vegetables, feta, olives, and a tangy Greek vinaigrette dressing.
# Ingredient List:
→ Pasta
01 - 8 oz short pasta (penne, fusilli, or rotini)
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 small cucumber, diced
03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1 small red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
→ Cheese & Olives
06 - 3.5 oz feta cheese, crumbled
07 - 1/3 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
→ Greek Vinaigrette
08 - 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
09 - 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
10 - 1 tsp dried oregano
11 - 1 garlic clove, minced
12 - 1/2 tsp sea salt, or to taste
13 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
# How to Make:
01 - Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the short pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold running water to halt cooking and cool completely.
02 - While the pasta cools, dice the cucumber and red bell pepper, halve the cherry tomatoes, and thinly slice the red onion.
03 - In a large salad bowl, toss together the cooled pasta, diced cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, diced red bell pepper, and sliced red onion.
04 - Fold in the crumbled feta cheese and sliced Kalamata olives, distributing evenly throughout the salad.
05 - In a small bowl, whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, minced garlic, sea salt, and black pepper until emulsified.
06 - Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently until all ingredients are evenly coated. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
07 - Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld together.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It comes together in the time it takes pasta to boil, which means you can almost taste the Mediterranean before your coffee has cooled.
- The vinaigrette doubles as a marinade for grilled vegetables or chicken, so you will want to memorize it by heart.
02 -
- Do not skip the resting time because warm pasta salad tastes flat and confused, as if the ingredients have not yet agreed on what they want to be.
- Rinsing the pasta under cold water is not cheating, it is the entire reason your salad does not turn into a gummy, room temperature disappointment.
03 -
- Make the vinaigrette in a jar with a tight lid so you can shake it back together right before pouring, since even the best emulsions separate while the salad rests.
- Cut all your vegetables roughly the same size as the pasta pieces so every forkful delivers a balanced bite instead of one lonely cucumber chunk swimming alone.