Description
A refreshing Mediterranean pasta salad featuring rotini pasta tossed with fresh cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, Kalamata olives, and crumbled feta cheese, all dressed in a zesty lemon and red wine vinegar vinaigrette with hints of garlic and oregano. This vibrant salad is perfect as a side dish, especially during warm weather.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 12 oz rotini pasta, cooked and cooled
Vegetables & Herbs
- 1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup cucumber, diced
- 1 cup red bell pepper, chopped
- ½ cup red onion, finely sliced
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Other
- ¾ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
- 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: Boil the rotini according to package directions until al dente. Once cooked, drain the pasta and rinse under cold water to cool it down 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 the ingredients are well combined and emulsified.
- Combine salad ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, add the cooled pasta, halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, chopped red bell pepper, finely sliced red onion, halved Kalamata olives, and chopped fresh parsley.
- Toss with dressing: Pour the prepared dressing over the pasta and vegetable mixture. Toss everything gently to ensure the dressing evenly coats all the ingredients.
- Add feta cheese: Gently fold in the crumbled feta cheese to distribute it throughout the salad without breaking it up too much.
- Adjust seasoning and chill: Taste the salad and add more salt or pepper if needed. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld.
Notes
- This salad can be made up to a day in advance; however, add the feta cheese just before serving to keep it from becoming too soft.
- You can substitute rotini pasta with penne or farfalle if preferred for different textures.
