Greek Pasta Salad (Print Version)
Mediterranean pasta tossed with fresh vegetables, feta, olives, and a tangy vinaigrette dressing.
# 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 - 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
→ Cheese & Olives
06 - 3.5 oz feta cheese, crumbled
07 - 1/3 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
→ Dressing
08 - 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
09 - 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
10 - 1 tsp dried oregano
11 - 1 garlic clove, minced
12 - 1/2 tsp sea salt, or to taste
13 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
# Steps:
01 - Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold running water to halt cooking and cool completely.
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 of prepared vegetables and toss gently to distribute evenly.
04 - Fold in the crumbled feta cheese and sliced Kalamata olives.
05 - In a small bowl, whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, minced garlic, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper until well 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 for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld together.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The dressing comes together in about thirty seconds and tastes brighter than anything you will find in a bottle.
- It holds up beautifully in the fridge, making it the rare pasta salad that actually tastes better on day two.
02 -
- Rinsing pasta feels wrong if you grew up in an Italian kitchen, but for cold salads it stops the cooking process and removes excess starch that would otherwise make everything gummy and clumped together.
- Do not skip the resting time in the fridge. I once served this immediately after tossing and it tasted flat, like all the ingredients were still strangers who had not been introduced.
03 -
- The biggest mistake is overcooking the pasta. Since it sits in dressing and continues to soften, pulling it one minute before the package time ensures it still has pleasant chew after hours in the fridge.
- Letting the dried oregano soak in the red wine vinegar for five minutes before adding the oil blooms its flavor in a way that surprises people every time.