Greek Pasta Salad with Feta (Printable Version)
Colorful pasta tossed with feta, olives, and crisp vegetables in a zesty lemon-herb dressing.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 10 oz short pasta (penne, rotini, or fusilli)
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 English cucumber, diced
03 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
04 - 7 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
05 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
06 - 3.5 oz Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
→ Cheese & Herbs
07 - 5 oz feta cheese, cubed or crumbled
08 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
09 - 1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped (optional)
→ Dressing
10 - 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
11 - 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
12 - 1 tsp dried oregano
13 - 1 garlic clove, minced
14 - 1/2 tsp salt
15 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
16 - Zest of 1 lemon
# How to Make It:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water until completely cooled. Set aside to drain well.
02 - In a large salad bowl, combine the cooled pasta, diced cucumber, red bell pepper, halved cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced red onion, and halved Kalamata olives. Toss gently to distribute evenly.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, minced garlic, salt, freshly ground black pepper, and lemon zest until the dressing is well emulsified and smooth.
04 - Pour the prepared dressing over the pasta and vegetable mixture. Toss thoroughly to ensure all ingredients are evenly coated with the dressing.
05 - Gently fold in the crumbled or cubed feta cheese, chopped parsley, and dill if using, being careful not to break up the feta too much.
06 - Taste the salad and adjust the salt and pepper as needed. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld together.
# Expert Insights:
01 -
- It comes together in thirty minutes flat with zero cooking stress and maximum flavor payoff.
- The lemon zest in the dressing is a quiet little trick that makes people ask what is different about this salad.
02 -
- Rinsing the pasta is essential here because residual heat will wilt the vegetables and melt the feta into a sad mess.
- Making this a day ahead actually improves the flavor but save half the feta to fold in fresh right before serving.
03 -
- Let the dressing sit for ten minutes before adding it so the garlic and oregano have time to bloom in the oil and vinegar.
- Cut all your vegetables roughly the same size as the pasta so every forkful feels balanced and nothing overwhelms a single bite.