Try this Mediterranean Pasta Salad recipe.
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- pasta salad:
- 1 box (16oz) uncooked short-cut pasta (i used farfal but rotini or penne work as well)
- 2/3 cup sliced red onions
- 1 pint heirloom cherry tomatoes halved (regular cherry or grape tomatoes work as well)
- 1 cup diced cucumbers
- 1/4 cup pickled capers (jarred)
- red wine vinegar and herb dressing:
- 2 1/2 tsp lemon juice freshly squeezed if possible
- 2 1/2 tsp minced garlic
- 1 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp fresh minced oregano
- 2 tsp fresh minced parsley
- 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Carbohydrate 10.9255513258626 g
- Cholesterol 136.303124991943 mg
- Fat 195.321265049459 g
- Fiber 0.764132602904969 g
- Protein 22.2205429427683 g
- Saturated Fat 45.4534348620891 g
- Serving Size 1 1 recipe (432g)
- Sodium 1818.11896889154 mg
- Sugar 10.1614187229577 g
- Trans Fat 6.2281806518906 g
- Calories 1877 calories
Step-by-step
- Fill a large stockpot with water and bring to a boil over HIGH heat.
- Salt the water with about a tablespoon of salt.
- Add pasta and cook until just about 30 seconds past al dente.
- Drain pasta and toss with a light drizzle of olive oil.
- Set aside to cool slightly.
- While pasta is cooling, chop tomatoes, cucumber, and red onion.
- Set aside in a bowl and add capers to the bowl.
- Add dressing ingredients, except for olive oil, to a bowl and whisk to combine.
- While whisking, slowly pour in the olive oil, and continue whisking until completely combined.
- Taste and adjust salt and pepper accordingly.
- Add the chopped vegetables and crumbled feta cheese to the pasta bowl.
- Pour dressing over the top and toss to combine.
- Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours, up to 1 day.
- Serve cold or at room temperature, and enjoy!
Vibrant green herbs cling to glossy surfaces of pasta while briny capers and crisp vegetables provide sharp visual and textural contrast against soft crumbly cheese. Achieving balance in an oil-based dressing relies entirely on emulsification, which requires whisking the lemon juice, garlic, sugar, and mustard vigorously before streaming in the olive oil in a slow, steady torrent to prevent the mixture from breaking prematurely. Straining raw red onions under cold running water for ten minutes tames harsh sulfur compounds without diminishing their crunch, making them far more palatable alongside mild cucumbers and sweet tomatoes. Using fresh oregano and parsley yields brighter aromatic notes than their dried counterparts, though dried herbs distribute evenly throughout dense dressings without leaving green flecks that overpower milder ingredients. When boiling the short-cut pasta, salt the water generously so the starch absorbs seasoning internally rather than relying solely on the exterior dressing. Extending the cooking time just thirty seconds past al dente ensures the pasta remains pliable after chilling in the refrigerator for up to twenty-four hours, preventing the pieces from turning brittle or chalky as they absorb moisture from the vegetables. Swapping the feta for firm pressed tofu or omitting the cheese entirely maintains the structural integrity of the dish while accommodating dairy-free preferences, proving that versatile summer bowls adapt easily to pantry constraints.
