Description
This vibrant Greek Pasta Salad combines tender mini bowtie pasta with fresh Mediterranean ingredients like kalamata olives, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and crumbled feta cheese. Tossed in a tangy and slightly sweet dressing made from olive oil, lemon juice, honey, Dijon mustard, garlic, oregano, and red wine vinegar, this salad is perfect for a quick, refreshing meal or a crowd-pleasing side dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 3 cups mini bowtie pasta
- 1 tbsp salt (for cooking pasta)
Vegetables & Herbs
- 1/2 cup kalamata olives
- 1/3 cup red onion, diced
- 2 cups Persian cucumbers or English cucumber, cut into half moons
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved (about 1 pint)
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Cheese
- 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled or cubed
Dressing
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1-1/2 tablespoons lemon juice (freshly juiced)
- 1-1/2 tablespoons honey
- 1-1/2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1-1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Bring 12 cups of water to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add 1 tablespoon of salt to the water, then add the mini bowtie pasta. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse it under cold water for about 20 seconds to stop the cooking process. Shake off any excess water and set the pasta aside to cool completely.
- Make Dressing: While the pasta is cooking, combine all dressing ingredients—olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, honey, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried oregano, red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper—in a mason jar. Seal the jar tightly and shake vigorously to ensure the honey dissolves and the dressing emulsifies. Refrigerate the dressing until ready to use.
- Prep Veggies: Meanwhile, dice the red onion, slice the cucumbers into half moons, halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the green bell pepper, and finely chop the flat-leaf parsley to prepare for assembling the salad.
- Assemble Salad: Place the completely cooled pasta into a large bowl. Top the pasta with all the prepped vegetables and olives. Give the dressing a good shake once more before drizzling it evenly over the salad. Finally, sprinkle the crumbled or cubed feta cheese on top. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary, then serve immediately or chill until ready to enjoy.
Notes
- Note 1: To mellow the sharpness of the red onion, you can soak the diced onion in cold water for 10 minutes before adding it to the salad.
- Note 2: Persian cucumbers are preferred as they have fewer seeds and a thinner skin, but English cucumbers make a great substitute.
- Note 3: Adding salt to the pasta water seasons the pasta from within for better flavor.
- Note 4: It’s best to add the dressing just before serving to prevent the salad from becoming soggy.
