🥗 Easy Mediterranean Pasta Salad Recipe

🥗 Easy Mediterranean Pasta Salad Recipe:  It’s officially picnic, grill-out, and patio party season now that the weather is getting warmer! At last!

Thus, I decided that the only fitting way to celebrate would be to chill off some hot pasta, combine it with a variety of zesty and fresh ingredients, and serve it in a bowl that’s ideal for sharing at the picnic. Yes, I prepared some pasta salad for you.

Because you guys seem to adore a delicious pasta salad, if my memory serves me correctly. When I last looked, one of the most popular dishes on our website—and one of my all-time favorites—was my favorite 5-Ingredient Pasta Salad. Not to mention this lighter version of a Chicken Caesar salad, or this delicious Strawberry Caprese salad, or this asparagus and arugula salad, all of which you seem to like. This year, I decided to try something different and decided to make a straightforward Mediterranean version of the traditional pasta salad. It is loaded with fresh vegetables and olives, feta, and a zesty lemon-herb vinaigrette.

 

 

🥗 Easy Mediterranean Pasta Salad Recipe

 

 

 

INSTRUCTIONS

TO MAKE THE MEDITERRANEAN PASTA SALAD:

As directed on the package, cook the pasta al dente in a large stockpot of well salted water. After draining the pasta, rinse it in cold water for 20 to 30 seconds, or until it is no longer hot. Pasta should be transferred to a large mixing basin.

Toss in the cucumber, tomatoes, feta cheese, kalamata olives, and red onion. Evenly pour over the entire vinaigrette. Toss until the dressing is distributed equally over all of the ingredients.

Serve right away, topped with more feta and black pepper, if you want.

 

TO MAKE THE LEMON-HERB VINAIGRETTE:

Whisk all ingredients together until combined.

 

 

FAQs AND TIP

 

My Best Pasta Salad Tips

Cook your pasta a little longer than normal. It should be just a tad past al dente (but not mushy) so that the pasta stays soft when it cools. I find that the higher time range listed on box instructions is usually just about right for pasta salad.

Let your pasta cool completely before tossing it with the other ingredients. If it’s still warm, the hot pasta will start to cook and wilt the veggies. No one’s a fan of warm cucumber, so make sure you’re tossing cold pasta into this dish.
Save some herbs for garnish! This pasta salad recipe is a great one to make ahead, but if you do, save some of the herbs and pine nuts for garnish. The pine nuts will keep their crunchy texture and the herbs will be extra fresh, pretty, and flavorful.

Taste and adjust. Like most salad recipes, this one is super flexible, so be sure to taste and adjust it to your liking before serving. Add more lemon if you prefer a tangier salad, toss in more greens if you’re all about the veggies, and always, always salt to taste.

 

Easy Pasta Salad Recipe Variations

Although this pasta salad is delicious just the way it is, you can adjust the ingredients to suit your needs or preferences. Here are some recommendations:

Turn it vegan! Swap out the feta for sun-dried tomatoes or olives.

Make it without gluten! Try substituting quinoa or gluten-free pasta for regular noodles.

Aspire to be Greek. Add a half cup of thinly sliced red onion and some kalamata or black olives to this recipe to make it more like a Greek pasta salad.

Try a mix of caprese. Instead of feta, use halved small mozzarella balls.

Try a different herb. This salad would taste excellent with fresh oregano instead of mint, and thyme would be a wonderful touch as well.

Replace the arugula with spinach.