Greek Pasta Salad with Feta (Printable Version)
Refreshing Mediterranean pasta toss with feta, olives, and crisp veggies in a zesty herb dressing.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 10 oz short pasta (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 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
09 - 1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped (optional)
→ Dressing
10 - 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
11 - 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
12 - 1 tsp dried oregano
13 - 1 garlic clove, minced
14 - 1/2 tsp salt
15 - 1/4 tsp 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 thoroughly under cold running water to halt cooking and cool the pasta completely.
02 - In a large salad bowl, toss together the cooled pasta, diced cucumber, red bell pepper, halved cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced red onion, and halved Kalamata olives.
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.
04 - Pour the prepared dressing over the salad ingredients and toss thoroughly to ensure even coating throughout.
05 - Gently fold in the crumbled or cubed feta cheese, chopped parsley, and dill if using, taking care not to break up the feta too much.
06 - Taste the salad and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld together.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The dressing doubles as a marinade for grilled vegetables, so you can stretch it into two completely different meals without extra work.
- It tastes even better the next day, which means you can stop stressing about last minute prep for potlucks.
02 -
- Do not dress the salad and then leave it at room temperature for hours, because the tomatoes will weep and the cucumber will go soft and sad.
- Adding the feta at the very end instead of mixing it in early was a game changer that keeps those creamy chunks intact.
03 -
- Dice every vegetable to roughly the same size as the pasta and you will get a perfect bite every single time instead of chasing individual pieces around the bowl.
- Make the dressing in a jar with a tight lid so you can shake it vigorously and store any leftover directly in the same container.