Description
A fresh and flavorful Greek pasta salad with tender pasta, crisp vegetables, tangy feta, and a lemon-oregano dressing.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 ounces rotini or penne pasta
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 large cucumber, diced
- 1 bell pepper (red or yellow), diced
- 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- Juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking. Set aside to cool.
- Prepare vegetables: halve tomatoes, dice cucumber and bell pepper, finely chop red onion, and halve Kalamata olives.
- Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, minced garlic, and Dijon mustard in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
- Combine cooled pasta, vegetables, and olives in a large bowl. Pour dressing over and toss gently to coat evenly.
- Sprinkle crumbled feta over salad and fold in gently.
- Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes to let flavors meld. Toss gently before serving and adjust seasoning if needed.
Notes
- Do not overcook pasta; al dente texture is important.
- Rinse pasta with cold water to cool and prevent sticking.
- Use high-quality olive oil and fresh lemon juice for best flavor.
- Soak chopped onion in cold water for 10 minutes to reduce sharpness if desired.
- Add feta cheese last and fold gently to keep it crumbly.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Boiling and mixing
- Cuisine: Greek
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 350mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 15mg
Keywords: Greek pasta salad, Mediterranean salad, rotini pasta salad, feta, fresh vegetables, lemon dressing