Description
A bright, zesty cold pasta salad featuring a homemade Italian herb vinaigrette, crisp vegetables, and salty feta cheese. This mayo-free dish is perfect for picnics and improves in flavor after chilling.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 ounces (340g) Rotini or Fusilli pasta
- 2 cups Broccoli florets, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 pint Cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 medium English cucumber, peeled and diced
- 1 small Red onion, finely diced
- 1 cup Feta cheese, crumbled
- ½ cup (120ml) Extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons (45ml) Red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) Fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon Dried basil
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente (8-9 minutes). Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking and cool.
- While pasta cooks, bring a small pot of water to a boil. Blanch broccoli florets for 2 minutes, then immediately transfer to ice water to stop cooking. Drain well and pat dry.
- In a small jar with a lid, combine olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, minced garlic, dried oregano, dried basil, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Shake vigorously for 30 seconds until emulsified.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine cooled pasta, blanched broccoli, tomatoes, cucumber, and red onion.
- Pour about half of the vinaigrette over the mixture and toss gently to coat. Add crumbled feta cheese and toss again. Add more vinaigrette if needed.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or up to 24 hours) to allow flavors to meld.
- Give the salad a final toss before serving cold or at room temperature.
Notes
Do not skip rinsing the pasta under cold water to prevent clumping. Blanching the broccoli ensures it stays crisp-tender and bright green. The salad tastes better after marinating in the fridge for a few hours. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 320
- Fat: 12
- Saturated Fat: 4
- Carbohydrates: 35
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 8
Keywords: pasta salad, cold pasta salad, italian vinaigrette, labor day recipes, picnic food, make ahead salad, vegetarian side dish, summer recipes