Description
This Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing is a bright, zesty, and refreshing dish that’s perfect for summer gatherings, potlucks, or quick weekday lunches. Packed with tender pasta, crisp veggies, feta cheese, and bold Italian flavors, it’s a crowd-pleaser that only gets better with time. It’s easy to make, simple to customize, and ideal for making ahead.
Ingredients
3 cups rotini pasta, uncooked
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup cucumber, sliced
1/3 cup red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup Kalamata olives, halved
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
3/4 cup Italian dressing
Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook rotini pasta for about 8 to 10 minutes, until just al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water.
2. While the pasta cooks, prep your vegetables: halve the cherry tomatoes, slice the cucumber and red onion, and chop the parsley.
3. If using homemade dressing, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, oregano, Dijon mustard, a pinch of sugar, salt, and pepper.
4. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta with the cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and olives.
5. Pour in about two-thirds of the Italian dressing and toss everything together until coated.
6. Add crumbled feta cheese and chopped parsley, then toss gently. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to develop. Add extra dressing before serving, if desired.
Notes
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes + optional chilling time
Yield: 6 servings
Category: Salad / Side Dish
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad / Side Dish
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 520mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 15mg
Keywords: pasta salad, italian dressing, summer side, vegetarian