Greek Pasta Salad (Printable Version)
Mediterranean pasta toss with feta, olives, and a zesty Greek vinaigrette dressing.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 8 oz short pasta such as 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 tablespoons red wine vinegar
10 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
11 - 1 garlic clove, minced
12 - ½ teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
13 - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
# Directions:
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 - In a large salad bowl, combine the diced cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, diced red bell pepper, and thinly sliced red onion.
03 - Add the cooled pasta to the bowl with the prepared vegetables and toss gently to distribute evenly.
04 - Fold in the crumbled feta cheese and sliced Kalamata olives, tossing lightly to incorporate 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 the salad for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld together.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The dressing doubles as a marinade, so if you ever want to toss in grilled chicken or chickpeas, it welcomes both without complaint.
- It tastes even better on day two, making it the rare salad that genuinely improves with time in the fridge.
02 -
- Do not skip the resting time because the salad transforms from decent to irresistible in that window.
- Rinsing the pasta is essential here since leftover starch makes the dressing slide right off instead of clinging.
03 -
- Make the dressing first and let it sit while you prep everything else, giving the garlic and oregano time to bloom.
- Salty feta and olives mean you should always underseason the dressing initially and adjust after everything is combined.