Greek Pasta Salad with Feta (Printable Version)
Refreshing pasta toss with feta, olives, and crisp veggies in a zesty lemon dressing. Perfect for potlucks.
# 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
# Directions:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the short pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain through a colander and rinse under cold running water until completely cooled. Set aside to drain thoroughly.
02 - In a large salad bowl, combine the cooled pasta with the 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 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 vinaigrette.
05 - Gently fold in the crumbled or cubed feta cheese, chopped parsley, and dill if using, taking care not to break apart the feta cubes.
06 - Taste the salad and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld together. Serve chilled.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The lemon zest in the dressing wakes up every single bite and makes people ask what your secret is.
- It holds up beautifully in the fridge, so you can make it in the morning and forget about it until guests arrive.
- Everything chops small and cooks fast, meaning you spend more time eating than prepping.
02 -
- Rinsing the pasta is not optional here because residual heat will wilt your vegetables and melt the feta into a messy puddle.
- Do not skip the lemon zest because it is the single ingredient that transforms this from a basic pasta salad into something people remember.
03 -
- Cut all your vegetables roughly the same size as the pasta so every forkful feels balanced and intentional.
- Let the dressing sit for five minutes before adding it so the garlic and oregano have time to bloom in the acid.