Greek Pasta Salad Mediterranean (Printable)
Fresh Mediterranean salad with pasta, vegetables, feta, and zesty dressing
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 8 oz short pasta (penne, fusilli, or farfalle)
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 medium cucumber, diced
03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
05 - 1 green bell pepper, diced
06 - 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
→ Cheese
07 - 5 oz feta cheese, cubed or crumbled
→ Dressing
08 - 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
09 - 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
10 - 1 garlic clove, finely minced
11 - 1 tsp dried oregano
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Herbs & Garnish
13 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley or dill, chopped (optional)
# Steps:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain well, then rinse under cold running water to stop cooking and cool completely. Set aside.
02 - While pasta cooks, dice cucumber, halve cherry tomatoes, thinly slice red onion, dice bell pepper, and halve the olives. Combine all prepared vegetables in a large salad bowl.
03 - Add the cooled pasta to the bowl with the prepared vegetables. Toss gently to distribute ingredients evenly.
04 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper until emulsified.
05 - Pour the dressing over the pasta and vegetable mixture. Toss thoroughly to coat all ingredients evenly with the vinaigrette.
06 - Gently fold in the feta cheese and fresh herbs (if using), taking care not to break up the cheese too much.
07 - Refrigerate the salad for at least 15 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The dressing soaks into everything, making each bite better than the last
- It actually tastes better after sitting in the fridge for a day
02 -
- Rinse the pasta thoroughly with cold water or it keeps cooking and gets mushy
- Add the feta last so it doesn't completely dissolve into the dressing
03 -
- Make extra dressing, you will want to drizzle more over leftovers
- Use a glass bowl to toss everything so the acid doesn't react with metal