Mediterranean pasta salad olives (Printable)
Refreshing Mediterranean pasta with olives, fresh vegetables, and tangy feta, ideal for light lunches or picnics.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 10 oz short pasta (penne, fusilli, or farfalle)
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 cucumber, diced
04 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
05 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
→ Olives & Cheese
06 - 3.5 oz Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
07 - 3.5 oz feta cheese, crumbled
→ Herbs & Dressing
08 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
09 - 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
10 - 1 clove garlic, minced
11 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
13 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
# Directions:
01 - Boil a large pot of salted water and cook the pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool.
02 - In a large bowl, mix the cooked pasta with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, red bell pepper, Kalamata olives, and crumbled feta cheese.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper until emulsified.
04 - Pour the dressing over the salad mixture and toss gently to evenly coat all ingredients.
05 - Sprinkle fresh parsley over the salad and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve immediately or chill for 30 minutes to allow flavors to blend.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It comes together in 30 minutes flat, which means you can make it right before people arrive without stress.
- The longer it sits, the better it tastes, so it's genuinely your friend if you're eating it hours later.
- One bowl does all the heavy lifting—no separate cooking once the pasta is done.
02 -
- Rinsing the pasta is essential here—warm or hot pasta will wilt the vegetables and make everything mushy within minutes.
- Dress the salad close to when you'll eat it if it's a hot day, because excess liquid from the vegetables will thin everything out if it sits too long.
- Taste everything separately before combining, because you can adjust vegetables or dressing individually but not once everything is mixed.
03 -
- Toast the dried oregano in a dry pan for 30 seconds before crushing it and adding it to the dressing—it wakes up the flavor and makes the whole dressing taste brighter.
- Save a handful of pasta water before draining, and add a splash back to the salad if it starts looking dry after sitting in the fridge, since the pasta keeps absorbing liquid.