Description
A refreshing and vibrant Mediterranean pasta salad featuring rotini pasta tossed with fresh vegetables, Kalamata olives, and crumbled feta cheese, dressed in a zesty olive oil and lemon dressing. Perfect as a side dish or light meal, this salad is easy to make, served cold, and packed with Mediterranean flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Vegetables
- 12 oz rotini pasta, cooked and cooled
- 1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup cucumber, diced
- 1 cup red bell pepper, chopped
- ½ cup red onion, finely sliced
- ¾ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Cheese
- ¾ cup crumbled feta cheese
Dressing
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Cook the rotini pasta according to the package directions until al dente. Drain well and rinse under cold water to cool the pasta and stop the cooking process.
- Prepare the Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, dried oregano, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper until fully combined and emulsified.
- Combine Salad Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, add the cooled pasta, cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, chopped red bell pepper, sliced red onion, halved Kalamata olives, and chopped fresh parsley. Toss gently to mix the ingredients evenly.
- Add Dressing and Toss: Pour the prepared dressing over the salad ingredients and toss thoroughly to coat everything evenly with the dressing, enhancing the flavors.
- Fold in Feta Cheese: Gently fold in the crumbled feta cheese to incorporate it without breaking up the cheese too much.
- Season and Chill: Taste the salad and adjust the salt and pepper if needed. Cover and chill the salad in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld perfectly.
Notes
- This salad can be made up to a day in advance; for best texture, add the feta cheese just before serving to keep it from becoming too soft.
- You can substitute rotini with other pasta shapes like penne or farfalle according to preference.
- Make sure to rinse the pasta under cold water to ensure it’s completely cooled and prevents clumping in the salad.
