Description
Bright, colorful, and refreshing pasta salad perfect for picnics, barbecues, and potlucks.
Ingredients
Scale
- 450 g (16 oz) short pasta, such as rotini or penne
- 2 medium bell peppers, diced
- 1 medium cucumber, diced
- 300 g (2 cups) cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 small red onion, finely chopped
- 150 g (1 cup) sliced black olives
- 200 g (7 oz) feta cheese, crumbled
- 30 g (1 cup) fresh parsley, chopped
- 120 ml (½ cup) olive oil
- 60 ml (¼ cup) red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside to cool.
- Chop the vegetables: While the pasta is cooking, chop the bell peppers, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and red onion. Place all the chopped vegetables in a large mixing bowl.
- Prepare the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until well combined.
- Combine the ingredients: Add the cooled pasta to the bowl with the vegetables. Pour the dressing over the pasta and toss gently until everything is well coated.
- Add the extras: Fold in the olives, feta cheese, and chopped parsley. Mix carefully, ensuring the feta doesn’t crumble too much.
- Chill the salad: Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to let the flavors meld together.
Notes
Make-ahead: The salad can be prepared a day in advance. Just add fresh herbs before serving.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 15mg