Description
A refreshing and easy-to-make vegetarian pasta salad featuring rotini pasta tossed with fresh vegetables, black olives, feta cheese, and a zesty Italian dressing. Perfect as a light side dish for summer meals or gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 12 ounces rotini pasta
Vegetables
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup cucumber, diced
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup black olives, sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Cheese
- 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
Dressing & Seasoning
- 1/2 cup Italian dressing
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Prepare the rotini pasta according to the package directions until al dente. Once cooked, drain the pasta and rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool it down.
- Combine Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, add the cooked and cooled pasta along with the cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, sliced black olives, crumbled feta cheese, and chopped fresh parsley.
- Add Dressing and Season: Pour the Italian dressing over the mixture. Toss gently until all ingredients are evenly coated with the dressing. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
- Chill and Serve: Cover the bowl and refrigerate the pasta salad for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Serve chilled or at room temperature as a refreshing side dish.
Notes
- You can add grilled chicken, chickpeas, or salami for extra protein.
- Swap in your favorite vegetables to customize the salad.
- Use a homemade vinaigrette for a fresher flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 390mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 34g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 10mg
