Mediterranean pasta salad kalamata olives (Print)
Bright Mediterranean pasta with tomatoes, cucumbers, kalamata olives, and feta dressed in olive oil vinaigrette.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 9 oz short pasta (penne, fusilli, or farfalle)
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
04 - 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
05 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
→ Olives & Cheese
06 - 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
07 - 3.5 oz feta cheese, crumbled
→ Herbs
08 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
09 - 2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped (optional)
→ Dressing
10 - 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
11 - 1 1/2 tbsp red wine vinegar
12 - 1 clove garlic, minced
13 - 1 tsp dried oregano
14 - 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
15 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
# How To Make It:
01 - Boil pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water to cool.
02 - In a large bowl, mix cooked pasta with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, bell pepper, Kalamata olives, feta cheese, parsley, and basil, if using.
03 - Whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, oregano, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl until well combined.
04 - Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently until all ingredients are evenly coated.
05 - Refrigerate the salad for at least 15 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It comes together in under 30 minutes and tastes even better after it sits in the fridge, which means less stress when guests arrive.
- The dressing is simple enough to memorize, but tastes like you've been cooking Mediterranean food your whole life.
- It's forgiving—you can prep it hours ahead, swap vegetables based on what's in your garden, and it somehow gets better as it sits.
02 -
- Cold pasta salad tastes less seasoned than warm food, so don't be shy with salt and vinegar—you need more than your instinct probably says.
- If you make this more than a few hours ahead, the pasta will absorb all the dressing and it might taste dry by serving time; fix this by whisking together a little extra olive oil and vinegar and drizzling it over just before guests arrive.
03 -
- Toast a handful of pine nuts or walnuts in a dry pan for a minute and scatter them over the top right before serving—they add a subtle crunch that makes people sit up and take notice.
- If you can find Kalamata olives still in brine at your market instead of the pre-pitted jarred versions, they taste more alive and complex, and pitting them yourself takes about two minutes and feels oddly meditative.