Greek Pasta Salad
User Reviews
5
Greek Pasta Salad
Description
This Greek Pasta Salad features a variety of fresh vegetables including cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, assorted colored bell peppers, and chopped pepperoncinis, combined with Greek olives and feta cheese for a nuanced flavor. The pasta provides a tender base that carries the crunchy and tangy ingredients. The salad is brought together with a homemade Greek dressing made from extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, oregano, red chili flakes, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper, blended until creamy. This dressing offers a balanced tartness and slight heat that complements the salad ingredients.
The salad has a diverse texture with chewy pasta, crisp vegetables, creamy and crumbly feta, and a flavorful dressing coating everything lightly. It is flexible with different pasta shapes and optional additions like roasted red peppers, pine nuts, red onion, or fresh basil for extra freshness and depth.
This salad works well chilled as a picnic dish, potluck addition, or refreshing summer side. Tips include salting cucumbers and tomatoes for brightness, selecting mini assorted peppers for color, using block feta for authentic texture, and optionally adding lemon juice for tang in the dressing. The salad can be adapted easily for preferences or ingredient availability.
Ingredients
- 1 lb (16 oz) pasta
- 1 cup cherry tomato halved
- 1 cucumber (sliced and halved)
- 3/4 cup Greek olives kalamata, green, etc, mixed
- 8 ounces feta cheese
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup red pepper chopped
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup orange pepper
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup yellow pepper
- 1/4 cup pepperoncinis (chopped and whole)
- red onion optional, roasted red peppers
- pine nuts
- red pepper
- black pepper garnish, freshly ground, fresh, or
- red chili flakes
- basil
- oregano
Homemade Greek Dressing:
- 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon oregano dried
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons honey or sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Heat large pot of water over high heat. Bring to a boil and generously salt the water. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, prepare the other ingredients. See notes below on tips on ingredients.
Homemade Greek Dressing:
- In food processor or blender, add all ingredients and blend until creamy. Check for seasonings and add more salt, if needed.
- In a large bowl, toss cooked pasta, vegetables, and feta cheese. Drizzle dressing over salad and lightly toss. Garnish with freshly ground pepper, red chili flakes, and fresh basil.
Notes
- The recipe allows using several pasta types such as rotini, orzo, penne, and others; choose your favorite.
- Salting cucumbers and tomatoes can enhance their flavor and texture.
- Using mini assorted colored peppers adds appealing color variety.
- Optional ingredients include roasted red peppers, red onion, chickpeas, fresh basil, and pine nuts for additional flavor and texture.
- For the feta, block cheese cut into small squares is preferred for authenticity over pre-crumbled varieties.
- Adding a splash of lemon juice to the dressing can provide extra tang and freshness if desired.
- Mayonnaise (about 2 tablespoons) can be added to the dressing if a creamier texture is preferred.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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