Grandpa's Pasta Salad

Transport your taste buds to a classic family gathering with "Grandpa's Pasta Salad," a refreshing medley of vibrant vegetables, tender rotini pasta, and tangy feta cheese. This Mediterranean-inspired pasta salad shines with the bold flavors of a homemade dressing made from extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, and aromatic oregano. Loaded with juicy grape tomatoes, crisp cucumber, zesty red onion, and savory black olives, this dish strikes the perfect balance of textures and tastes. Ready in just 30 minutes (including chilling time), it's an easy, crowd-pleasing recipe ideal for summer picnics, potlucks, or weeknight dinners. Serve it cold for a lively, flavor-packed side or light main course that will remind everyone why this recipe is a cherished family tradition.

Nutriscore Rating: 65/100

Prep Time:20 mins

Cook Time:10 mins

Total Time:30 mins

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 12 oz dry rotini pasta
• 2 cups grape tomatoes
• 1 large cucumber
• 0.5 large red onion
• 1 cup black olives, sliced
• 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• 0.25 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 0.25 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 0.5 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Step 1

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the rotini pasta according to package instructions until al dente, usually about 8-10 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water to cool the pasta, then set aside.

Step 2

Slice the grape tomatoes in half. Peel the cucumber, deseed it if desired, and dice into small chunks. Thinly slice the red onion into strips. Set all prepared vegetables aside.

Step 3

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper to make the dressing.

Step 4

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked pasta, grape tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, black olives, and crumbled feta cheese.

Step 5

Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and toss gently to coat all the ingredients evenly.

Step 6

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or transfer the salad to an airtight container, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.

Step 7

Before serving, give the salad a good toss and taste. Adjust seasoning with additional salt or pepper if needed.

Step 8

Serve chilled and enjoy Grandpa's favorite pasta salad!

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(1727.5g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	2946.8

Total Fat 154.7g	0%
Saturated Fat 50.8g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.1g
Cholesterol 200.0mg	0%
Sodium 6881.5mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 316.3g	0%
Dietary Fiber 25.0g	0%
Total Sugars 27.8g
Protein 83.9g	0%

Vitamin D 0IU	0%
Calcium 1320.4mg	0%
Iron 21.0mg	0%
Potassium 2165.1mg	0%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 46.5%

Protein: 11.2%

Carbs: 42.3%