Mediterranean Pasta Salad with Lemon Herb Dressing
This Mediterranean Pasta Salad is a vibrant, make-ahead dish that’s perfect for gatherings, lunches, or easy dinners. It travels well and tastes even better after a few hours.
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 8 oz dry pasta farfalle, fusilli or rotini
- 3 Persian cucumbers or 1 English cucumber - peeled and sliced thinly
- 1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes quartered
- 2/3 cup black olives such as Kalamata olives sliced or chopped - 3 oz.
- 1 cup roasted red peppers sliced and drained (or cut into small strips) (I use jarred)
- 1 cup marinated artichoke hearts quartered and drained (7 oz after drained)
- 3 scallions thinly sliced
- 2 cups arugula or baby spinach - washed and dried
- 4 oz. feta cheese crumbled
For the Mediterranean Dressing:
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice or red wine vinegar
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon fresh oregano finely chopped – or ⅛ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until it's al dente, according to the package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Set it aside.
- While the pasta is cooking, make the dressing by whisking together 3 tablespoons lemon juice (or vinegar), 1 clove of minced garlic, ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard, ½ teaspoon chopped oregano, ½ teaspoon of Kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper in a small bowl. Slowly drizzle in ¼ cup of olive oil while whisking until fully emulsified.
- To assemble the salad, in a large bowl, combine the cooked and cooled pasta, cucumber, tomatoes, olives, roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, scallions, arugula, and feta cheese.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to ensure all ingredients are evenly coated with the dressing. Taste for seasoning and add more if necessary.
- If you have the time, cover and let it sit in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
- Yields: This recipe makes about 6-7 cups of pasta salad, ideal for 6 (generous) servings as a side dish. The nutritional values below are per serving.
- Make Ahead Instructions: Prep the vegetables and dressing a day in advance and store in the fridge. On the day you are planning to serve it, cook the pasta, let it cool, add the veggies, and toss with the dressing. Top it off with crumbled feta cheese and serve.
- Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The salad may absorb some of the dressing as it sits, which is normal. Give it a good toss and taste and adjust the seasoning before serving.
- Serving temperature: I like serving this pasta salad either cold or at cool room temperature. That said, if you prefer to serve it warm, toss the pasta with the dressing while it is still slightly warm and add the rest of the ingredients just before serving. Keep in mind that warm tomatoes and cucumbers will release water, so dress lightly.
Nutrition
Calories: 350kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 1104mg | Potassium: 314mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1027IU | Vitamin C: 32mg | Calcium: 154mg | Iron: 2mg
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