Description
This viral pasta salad is a fresh, colorful, and flavorful dish perfect for gatherings or a light meal. Featuring a mix of cooked pasta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, olives, and crumbled feta cheese, it is dressed with a zesty Italian dressing enhanced by olive oil and herbs. The salad is chilled to meld the flavors, making it an easy and refreshing option that’s great for summer or potlucks.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked pasta
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup cucumber, diced
- 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup black olives, sliced
- 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
Dressing
- 1/4 cup Italian dressing
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente, then drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool the pasta down.
- Combine base ingredients: Place the cooled pasta in a large mixing bowl.
- Add tomatoes: Halve the cherry tomatoes and add them to the pasta in the bowl.
- Add cucumber: Dice the cucumber and add it to the bowl along with the tomatoes.
- Add onion: Finely chop the red onion and mix it into the bowl.
- Add olives: Slice the black olives and stir them into the salad mixture.
- Add feta cheese: Crumble the feta cheese over the top of the ingredients in the bowl.
- Prepare dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the Italian dressing, olive oil, dried oregano, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt until well combined.
- Dress the salad: Pour the dressing mixture evenly over the pasta salad.
- Toss salad: Gently toss all ingredients together to coat everything thoroughly with the dressing.
- Season to taste: Taste the salad and adjust seasoning, adding more salt or pepper as desired.
- Chill: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
- Serve: Before serving, give the pasta salad another gentle toss to ensure even distribution of flavors.
Notes
- Use any variety of pasta you prefer, but short shapes like rotini, penne, or fusilli work best.
- For extra flavor, try adding fresh basil or parsley before chilling.
- Make sure to cool the pasta completely before adding the dressing to prevent it from becoming soggy.
- This salad can be prepared a day ahead and stored covered in the refrigerator.
- Feel free to substitute feta cheese with a vegan alternative to make the dish vegan-friendly.
