Bow Tie Pasta Salad (Printable Version)
Bow tie pasta with tomatoes, cucumber, olives and feta, dressed in a zesty Italian vinaigrette—chill before serving.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 oz bow tie (farfalle) pasta
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
04 - 1 cup red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
06 - 1/2 cup black olives, sliced
07 - 1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped
→ Cheese (optional)
08 - 3/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
→ Dressing
09 - 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
10 - 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
11 - 1 clove garlic, minced
12 - 1 tsp dried oregano
13 - 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
14 - 1/2 tsp salt
15 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
# Directions:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Cook bow tie pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain in a strainer and rinse thoroughly under cold running water to halt cooking and cool the pasta completely.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, toss together the cooled pasta, halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, diced red bell pepper, thinly sliced red onion, sliced black olives, and chopped fresh parsley.
03 - In a small bowl or mason jar, whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, dried oregano, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper until the mixture is fully emulsified and creamy.
04 - Pour the prepared dressing over the pasta and vegetable mixture. Toss gently but thoroughly until every component is evenly coated.
05 - Gently fold in the crumbled feta cheese, if using, taking care not to break it down too much.
06 - Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes so the dressing penetrates the pasta and the flavors meld together.
07 - Give the salad one final toss before serving. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The dressing comes together in about sixty seconds and tastes brighter than anything you will find in a bottle.
- It feeds a crowd happily, travels well, and actually tastes better after sitting in the fridge for a while.
- You can swap vegetables based on whatever is wilting in your crisper drawer and it still turns out delicious.
02 -
- Rinsing the pasta under cold water is not optional here, leftover heat will wilt your vegetables and melt the feta into an unappetizing mess.
- This salad is best eaten within two days, after that the cucumbers go soft and the dressing loses its brightness.
03 -
- If you are making this a full day ahead, hold back half the dressing and add it right before serving, the pasta absorbs liquid overnight and can end up dry.
- Crushing the garlic into a paste with the flat side of your knife and a pinch of salt distributes the flavor more evenly than chopping.