Mediterranean Pasta Salad

This delicious Mediterranean Pasta Salad made with Greek ingredients and with Pennette pasta tastes light and fresh dressed in a mediterranean salad dressing made with fresh lemon juice and olive oil.

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It is incredible how many variations of pasta salad recipes you can find on the web. Some include protein by adding pieces of cooked chicken, shrimp, salmon or salami. While others add lettuce and fresh spinach.

With all of these variations, you could easily make a different pasta salad every week of the summer. My favourite combination of ingredients to use in a pasta salad are those typically found in Mediterranean cooking and doesn't include meat.

How to Make a Pennette Pasta Salad

Pasta salads are easy to make and generally involve very little actual cooking. The only ingredient needing to be cooked in this salad recipe is the pasta.

Here are the ingredients you'll find in my vegetarian Mediterranean Pasta Salad:

Ingredients Overview:

• Pennette Rigate. You can use the pasta shape you like, orzo is very popular but I prefer something a bit larger, like Pennette (small Penne).
• Feta cheese. Since I wanted to use Greek flavours for this pasta salad, I opted for Feta cheese, but you could also use crumbled goat cheese, cubed mozzarella, Parmesan shavings, or whatever cheese you like to add to salads. For a vegan pasta salad, you could leave the cheese out or use a vegan cheese.
• Sun-dried tomatoes. I like to use oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes. They're plump and have a softer texture than dry-packed tomatoes which are chewier and need to be hydrated before eating in a salad. If you don't like sun-dried tomatoes you can always use cherry tomatoes.
• Kalamata olives. Lots and lots of olives, use your favourite kind.
• Red onions. I like to add the onions straight into the salad. If you find their taste overpowering, simply add the onions to the dressing so their flavour mellows out a bit.
• Bell pepper. You can use red, green, yellow or orange bell pepper. I like to use a full pepper for a pound (454 grams) of dried pasta. But you could use as much as you like.
• Parsley. Flat-leaf or curly parsley will work here. You could also add more fresh herbs. Fresh oregano, mint or summer savory are also delicious.
• Lemon juice and olive oil dressing. A simple mediterranean salad dressing made of freshly squeezed lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, a small clove of garlic (minced) and salt and pepper.

Steps Overview:

• Start by cooking the Pennette (or pasta of choice), adding two minutes to the amount indicated on the package directions for al dente pasta. Why two minutes more? Because the pasta will harden and become chewy when refrigerated. By cooking the pasta an extra two minutes you'll have perfectly tender but firm pasta in your salad.
• Drain the pasta and rinse it under lots of cold water. Let it cool completely while you prepare the remainder of the ingredients.
• Chop the bell pepper, red onion, sun-dried tomatoes and olives. I like to keep everything fairly the same size except for the onions which I chop up into a smaller dice.
• Wash and chop the parsley and other herbs if using any.
• Dice or crumble the Feta cheese.
• Make the dressing. When dressing the salad reserve a bit of the dressing for any leftovers you might have. This will make any leftovers just as delicious as on the day you serve this dish.
• Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and add the dressing, toss the salad well and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to let the flavours develop.

How to Serve

When ready to serve, remove the salad from the refrigerator toss again and taste to see if more dressing or seasoning is needed and adjust to taste.

Since the pasta will absorb much of the dressing you might find the salad needs a bit of freshening up. This is where the reserved mediterranean salad dressing will come in handy. Just add a bit and toss the salad again.

This Mediterranean Pasta Salad goes really well with a main that doesn't contain any starch such as these grilled Kafta Kabobs, this Pistachio Crusted Salmon or this Rainbow Trout Fillet.

How to Store

Leftover pasta salad is great for quick lunches. This salad keeps well in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Use a bit of the leftover dressing to liven the salad up. If you used all of the dressing, simply drizzle a touch of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice on the salad to brighten it up again.

Enjoy!

More Mediterranean Salads to Try

• White Bean and Tuna Salad
• Mediterranean Kale Salad
• Fattoush Salad
• Lebanese Tabbouleh