Greek Pasta Salad with Feta (Printable)
Refreshing Mediterranean pasta toss with feta, olives, and crisp veggies in a zesty lemon 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 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
09 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped (optional)
→ Dressing
10 - 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
11 - 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
12 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
13 - 1 garlic clove, minced
14 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
15 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
16 - Zest of 1 lemon
# How-To Steps:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the short pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain in a colander and rinse thoroughly under cold running water to halt cooking and cool the pasta completely.
02 - Transfer the cooled pasta to a large salad bowl. Add the diced cucumber, diced 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 mixture is well emulsified and smooth.
04 - Pour the prepared dressing over the pasta and vegetable mixture. Toss thoroughly to ensure every component is evenly coated with the vinaigrette.
05 - Gently fold in the crumbled or cubed feta cheese, chopped fresh parsley, and chopped fresh dill if using. Take care not to break up the feta too much during folding.
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. For best results, let it rest chilled for up to an hour.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The dressing pulls double duty, soaking into the pasta while keeping every vegetable crisp and vibrant, so leftovers actually taste better the next day.
- It comes together in thirty minutes with zero cooking beyond boiling pasta, which means you get maximum reward for almost no effort.
02 -
- Rinsing the pasta is essential here, unlike with hot pasta dishes where you want that starchy coating, because cold salad needs each piece separate and clean.
- If you dress the salad while the pasta is still warm, it will absorb too much oil and become heavy rather than bright and glossy.
03 -
- Cut all your vegetables roughly the same size as the pasta pieces so every forkful delivers a balanced bite instead of one dominating ingredient.
- Let the dressed salad sit out at room temperature for ten minutes before serving because cold mutes flavor and the true taste emerges as it warms slightly.