Easy Greek Pasta Salad
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
10 mins
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Cook Time
15 mins
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Total Time
25 mins
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Servings
4 servings
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Calories
693 kcal
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Course
Side Dish, Main Course
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Cuisine
Mediterranean, Greek
Easy Greek Pasta Salad
Description
The salad starts by cooking pasta until al dente, then cooling it to avoid overcooking and mushiness. Meanwhile, fresh vegetables including cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and red onion are prepared. The vinaigrette is a mix of red wine vinegar, quality olive oil, garlic, fresh or dried oregano, and lemon juice, adding acidity and herbaceous notes.
Combining pasta, vegetables, and feta cheese, then tossing with vinaigrette and chilling for three hours allows flavors to develop and meld. The crumbled or cubed quality feta provides creaminess and saltiness contrasting the fresh crisp vegetables. Kalamata olives add a fruity saline touch enhancing the Greek flavor profile.
This salad works well as a side dish for grilled meats or as a standalone light lunch. Freshness of vegetables and quality ingredients are important for best results.
Ingredients
- 8 oz fusilli bucati pasta or rotini, farfalle, penne
- 1 cup cherry tomato halved
- 1 English cucumber cut into half slices
- 1 red onion sliced
- 1 cup feta cheese cut into cubes or crumbled, use good quality cheese
- ½ cup kalamata olives pitted and halved
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper or to taste, freshly ground
For red wine vinaigrette
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- ⅔ cup extra virgin olive oil use good quality oil
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons oregano or) 1 teaspoon dried oregano, fresh
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
Cook pasta –
- fill a large pot with water seasoned with little salt and bring it to boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in the penne, and return to the boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, about 9 ½ minutes (for bucati). Drain pasta and let it cool. (DO NOT OVER COOK PASTA)
Prep vegetables –
- while pasta cooks chop all vegetables.
- Whisk together the red wine vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano. Set aside.
- Combine pasta, onions, tomatoes, cucumber, olives and feta cheese in a large bowl. Pour vinaigrette over the pasta and mix together. Cover and chill for 3 hours before serving.
Notes
- Use small pasta shapes such as penne, farfalle, fusilli, tortellini, or orzo for ideal texture and flavor integration.
- Use fresh vegetables for optimal taste and texture in the salad.
- Purchase block feta and crumble or cube fresh to preserve flavor and texture rather than using pre-crumbled feta.
- The salad is best consumed within 4 days when refrigerated, as feta flavor may deteriorate over time.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 693 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 0g | |
| Calories | 693kcal | 35% |
| Carbohydrates | 54g | 18% |
| Protein | 14g | 28% |
| Fat | 48g | 74% |
| Saturated Fat | 11g | 55% |
| Cholesterol | 33mg | 11% |
| Sodium | 985mg | 41% |
| Potassium | 413mg | 9% |
| Fiber | 5g | 20% |
| Sugar | 7g | 14% |
| Vitamin A | 528IU | 11% |
| Vitamin C | 14mg | 16% |
| Calcium | 268mg | 27% |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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