Greek pasta salad olives feta (Printable Version)

Mediterranean pasta with cucumbers, olives, feta, and fresh herbs for light, bright flavors.

# Ingredient List:

→ Pasta

01 - 8 oz short pasta such as penne, fusilli, or farfalle

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium cucumber, diced
03 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
04 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
05 - 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

→ Olives & Cheese

06 - 2/3 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
07 - 4 oz feta cheese, crumbled

→ Dressing

08 - 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
09 - 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
10 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
11 - 1 garlic clove, finely minced
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Fresh Herbs

13 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

# Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool completely.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until well emulsified.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, combine cooled pasta, diced cucumber, diced bell pepper, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced red onion, Kalamata olives, and crumbled feta cheese.
04 - Pour the prepared dressing over the salad mixture and toss gently until all components are evenly coated and combined.
05 - Sprinkle the chopped fresh parsley over the salad. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes to allow flavors to develop and meld.
06 - Remove from refrigerator and serve cold or at room temperature according to preference.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's a complete meal that doesn't require you to stand over a stove, letting you actually enjoy your day before eating.
  • The flavor actually deepens as it sits, so you can make it hours ahead without any stress or last-minute scrambling.
  • Every ingredient earns its place, and there's a satisfaction in how the briny, salty, and fresh elements balance so naturally together.
02 -
  • Don't skip the chilling step, because a warm pasta salad tastes like sad cafeteria food, but a cold one tastes like you actually put thought into this.
  • The feta will be better if you crumble it by hand rather than buying it pre-crumbled, because the bigger pieces stay where you put them instead of dissolving into the dressing.
03 -
  • Pat your cucumber dry after dicing it, because excess water is the enemy of a salad that stays fresh and doesn't turn into vinaigrette soup by the next day.
  • Let your feta sit out for a few minutes before crumbling if it comes straight from the refrigerator, because cold feta is harder to break into those perfect irregular pieces.
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