Description
This Easy Greek Pasta Salad is a fresh, vibrant, and flavorful dish perfect for summer meals or potlucks. Featuring bowtie pasta, crisp vegetables, Kalamata olives, and a tangy homemade dressing with herbs and feta cheese, this salad comes together quickly and is sure to delight your taste buds with Mediterranean flair.
Ingredients
Pasta
- 8 ounces bowtie pasta
Vegetables & Cheese
- 1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes, sliced in half
- 1 seedless cucumber, sliced into half-circles or quarters
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 small red onion, diced
- 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, drained
- 2/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled or cubed
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Dressing
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup water
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1 teaspoon dried mint
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the bowtie pasta and cook according to the package directions until al dente. Once cooked, drain the pasta well and rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool it down for the salad.
- Prepare the vegetables: While the pasta is cooking, slice the grape tomatoes in half, slice the seedless cucumber into half-circles or quarters, dice the bell pepper and red onion, and drain the Kalamata olives. Add all these chopped vegetables and olives to a large mixing bowl.
- Make the dressing: In a jar or container with a tight-fitting lid, combine the olive oil, water, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, honey, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried oregano, dried dill, dried mint, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Secure the lid and shake vigorously to emulsify the dressing until all ingredients are well combined.
- Assemble the salad: Add the cooled, drained pasta to the bowl with the vegetables. Then add the crumbled or cubed feta cheese and chopped fresh parsley. Pour the prepared dressing over the salad and gently toss everything together to evenly coat all ingredients with the flavorful dressing.
- Serve and enjoy: The Greek pasta salad is ready to serve immediately, or you can refrigerate it for a bit to allow the flavors to meld. Perfect for potlucks, picnics, or as a light main or side dish.
Notes
- For best results, cook the pasta just until al dente so it retains a good texture in the salad.
- Rinsing the pasta under cold water stops the cooking process and prevents clumping.
- This salad can be made a few hours ahead and chilled to enhance the flavor.
- Feel free to customize the vegetables based on your preference or what you have on hand.
- Use good quality extra virgin olive oil for the dressing to elevate the flavor.
