Greek Pasta Salad With Olives - Fresh, Bright, And Perfect For Any Table

Ingredients

• 12 ounces short pasta (rotini, bow ties, or penne)
• 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 medium cucumber, diced (English or Persian preferred)
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 3/4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
• 1/2 cup pitted green olives (optional), halved
• 6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped (optional but lovely)
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice + 1 teaspoon zest
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 garlic clove, finely grated or minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano (or 2 teaspoons fresh, minced)
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the pasta: Boil in well-salted water until just al dente. Drain and rinse briefly under cool water to stop cooking and remove excess starch.

2. 2

   Make the dressing: In a jar, shake together olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice and zest, Dijon, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper until emulsified.

3. 3

   Prep the vegetables: Halve tomatoes, dice cucumber and bell pepper, slice red onion, and chop herbs. Halve the olives.

4. 4

   Toss it all: In a large bowl, combine pasta, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, bell pepper, olives, parsley, and dill. Pour over dressing and toss well.

5. 5

   Add feta last: Gently fold in feta so it stays chunky and doesn’t smear.

6. 6

   Chill and adjust: Refrigerate 20–30 minutes, then taste and add a pinch more salt, pepper, or lemon if needed.