Greek Pasta Salad with Feta (Printable version)
Vibrant Mediterranean pasta toss with feta, olives, and crisp vegetables in a zesty lemon-herb dressing.
# What you 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 - ½ tsp salt
15 - ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
16 - Zest of 1 lemon
# How To:
01 - Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking and cool completely.
02 - In a large bowl, toss together the cooled pasta, diced cucumber, red bell pepper, halved cherry tomatoes, 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 dressing over the pasta and vegetable mixture. Toss thoroughly to ensure everything is evenly coated.
05 - Gently fold in the feta cheese, chopped parsley, and dill if using, taking care not to break up the cheese too much.
06 - Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt or pepper as needed. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- This salad tastes even better after sitting in the fridge, making it the ultimate make ahead dish for busy weeknights.
- The lemon zest in the dressing is a quiet little secret that wakes up every single bite.
02 -
- Rinsing the pasta under cold water is not optional here since residual heat will wilt the vegetables and melt the feta into a messy puddle.
- Making this a day ahead actually improves the flavor, but wait to add the herbs and feta until just before serving for the freshest result.
03 -
- Slice every vegetable to roughly the same size as the pasta pieces so you get a little bit of everything in each bite.
- Letting the dressed salad sit at room temperature for ten minutes before serving brings out flavors that the fridge mutes.