Description
This Greek Pasta Salad is a vibrant and refreshing dish featuring rotini pasta tossed with a tangy homemade dressing, cubes of creamy Feta cheese, crisp vegetables, and Kalamata olives. Perfect for a light lunch, picnic, or as a side dish, it combines Mediterranean flavors with a simple yet satisfying preparation.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 10 oz. rotini pasta
Vegetables and Cheese
- 8 oz. block Feta cheese (cut into cubes)
- 1 pint grape tomatoes (halved)
- 1 English cucumber (diced)
- 1 red bell pepper (diced)
- ½ cup Kalamata olives (sliced and drained)
- ½ red onion (thinly sliced)
Dressing
- ½ cup olive oil
- 3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
- 2 tsp. honey (optional)
- 1 clove garlic (finely minced)
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
- ¼ tsp. dried oregano
- ¼ tsp. dried parsley
- ¼ tsp. dried basil
- 1 tsp. salt (plus more to taste)
- ⅛ tsp. black pepper
Instructions
- Cook pasta: Cook the rotini pasta according to the package directions. Once cooked, rinse it under cool running water to stop the cooking process and drain well. Transfer the pasta to a large mixing bowl.
- Prepare dressing: In a mason jar or blender, combine olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey (if using), minced garlic, Dijon mustard, dried oregano, parsley, basil, salt, and black pepper. Shake or blend for 10-20 seconds until the dressing is well emulsified.
- Toss pasta with dressing: Pour the prepared dressing over the cooked pasta in the bowl. Toss thoroughly to ensure the pasta is evenly coated with the dressing.
- Add vegetables and cheese: Add the cubed Feta cheese, halved grape tomatoes, diced cucumber, diced red bell pepper, sliced Kalamata olives, and thinly sliced red onion to the bowl with the dressed pasta.
- Combine ingredients: Gently toss all the ingredients together until well combined, being careful not to break up the Feta cheese too much. Adjust salt to taste if needed.
- Serve or chill: Serve the Greek pasta salad immediately or cover and refrigerate for a few hours to enjoy it chilled. This allows the flavors to meld beautifully.
Notes
- For best flavor, refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes before serving.
- If you prefer a vegan version, substitute the Feta cheese with a plant-based alternative or omit it entirely.
- Add fresh herbs like dill or mint for extra freshness.
- You can swap rotini pasta for other small pasta shapes like penne or fusilli.
- Honey in the dressing is optional but helps balance the acidity of the vinegar.
