Greek Pasta Salad (Print View)
Mediterranean pasta toss with feta, olives, and crisp vegetables in a Greek vinaigrette.
# What You'll Need:
→ 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 - ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
→ Cheese & Olives
06 - 3.5 oz feta cheese, crumbled
07 - ⅓ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
→ Greek Vinaigrette
08 - ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
09 - 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
10 - 1 tsp dried oregano
11 - 1 garlic clove, minced
12 - ½ tsp sea salt, or to taste
13 - ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
# Method:
01 - Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold running water until completely cooled. Set aside.
02 - While the pasta cools, dice the cucumber and red bell pepper, halve the cherry tomatoes, and thinly slice the red onion. Transfer all vegetables to a large salad bowl.
03 - Add the cooled pasta to the bowl with the prepared vegetables. Toss gently to distribute evenly.
04 - Scatter the crumbled feta cheese and sliced Kalamata olives over the pasta and vegetable mixture.
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 salt and pepper as needed.
07 - Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld before serving.
# Insider Tips:
01 -
- It comes together in the time it takes pasta to boil and cool, which means almost zero planning ahead.
- The vinaigrette seeps into every noodle crevice overnight, so leftovers taste even better than day one.
02 -
- Skipping the chill time is the biggest mistake you can make here, because warm pasta salad tastes flat and one dimensional no matter how good your ingredients are.
- Rinsing the pasta under cold water is not optional in this recipe, since residual heat will soften your vegetables and melt the feta into an unappealing mess.
03 -
- Cook the pasta one minute less than the package says, because it continues to soften slightly as it absorbs the dressing in the fridge.
- Make a double batch of the vinaigrette and keep the extra in a jar for quick salads throughout the week.