Greek Pasta Salad with Feta (Printable)

Vibrant Mediterranean pasta toss with feta, olives, and crisp veggies in a zesty lemon-herb dressing.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 10 oz short pasta (penne, rotini, or fusilli)

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 English cucumber, diced
03 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
04 - 7 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
05 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
06 - 3.5 oz Kalamata olives, pitted and halved

→ Cheese & Herbs

07 - 5 oz feta cheese, cubed or crumbled
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
09 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped (optional)

→ Dressing

10 - 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
11 - 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
12 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
13 - 1 garlic clove, minced
14 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
15 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
16 - Zest of 1 lemon

# Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain in a colander and rinse thoroughly under cold running water to halt cooking and cool the pasta completely.
02 - In a large salad bowl, toss together the cooled pasta, diced cucumber, diced red bell pepper, halved cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced red onion, and halved Kalamata olives.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, minced garlic, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and lemon zest until well emulsified.
04 - Pour the prepared dressing over the salad ingredients and toss thoroughly to ensure even coating throughout.
05 - Gently fold in the crumbled or cubed feta cheese, chopped parsley, and dill if using, taking care not to break up the feta too much.
06 - Taste the salad and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld together.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The dressing doubles as a marinade for chicken or a dip for bread, so you will want to make extra.
  • Everything holds up beautifully in the fridge for a full day without getting soggy or sad.
  • It tastes like summer on a Greek island even if you are eating it in a cramped apartment in February.
02 -
  • Rinsing the pasta is essential here because residual heat will wilt the vegetables and melt the feta into an unappetizing blur.
  • Do not dress the salad and then leave it at room temperature for hours because the garlic in the dressing becomes harsh and bitter over time.
03 -
  • Dice every vegetable to roughly the same size as a piece of pasta so you get a balanced forkful every single time.
  • Let the dressing sit for five minutes before adding it to the salad because the oregano and garlic need time to bloom in the acid.

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