Description
A vibrant, crowd-pleasing pasta salad featuring rotini tossed in a sharp Italian vinaigrette with fresh vegetables, feta cheese, and olives. It stays crunchy, improves overnight, and avoids the sogginess of traditional mayo-based salads.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound (450g) Rotini or Fusilli pasta
- Water and Salt (for boiling)
- ½ cup (120ml) Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- ¼ cup (60ml) Red Wine Vinegar
- 3 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
- 1 teaspoon Dried Basil
- 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
- 1 tablespoon Honey
- Salt and Black Pepper to taste
- 1 cup Cherry Tomatoes, halved
- 1 medium Cucumber, peeled and diced
- ½ medium Red Onion, finely diced
- ½ cup Kalamata Olives, halved
- 1 cup Feta Cheese, crumbled
- ½ cup Black Olives, sliced
- ¼ cup Fresh Parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add rotini and cook until al dente (8-10 minutes). Drain and let cool for 5 minutes until warm, not hot.
- In a jar or small bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, dried oregano, dried basil, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
- Transfer warm pasta to a large mixing bowl. Pour about two-thirds of the vinaigrette over the pasta and toss well to allow absorption. Set aside to cool completely to room temperature.
- While pasta cools, chop tomatoes, cucumber, and red onion. Soak diced red onion in cold water for 10 minutes to mellow the bite, then drain and pat dry. Halve olives and crumble feta.
- Once pasta is at room temperature, add chopped vegetables, olives, and feta cheese to the bowl. Pour remaining vinaigrette over the top and toss gently but thoroughly until evenly coated.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour to allow flavors to meld.
- Just before serving, stir in fresh chopped parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
Tossing warm pasta with the dressing is crucial for flavor absorption. Soaking red onions in cold water reduces sharpness. The salad improves in flavor if made up to 24 hours in advance. Do not freeze as vegetables will become mushy. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 14
- Saturated Fat: 4
- Carbohydrates: 42
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 8
Keywords: pasta salad, Italian vinaigrette, restaurant style, make ahead salad, summer side dish, vegetarian pasta salad, rotini salad