Peppy Pasta Picnic Salad

Bursting with vibrant flavors and fresh ingredients, Peppy Pasta Picnic Salad is the ultimate crowd-pleaser for your next outdoor gathering or quick weekday lunch. This easy-to-make recipe features tender penne pasta tossed with juicy cherry tomatoes, crisp cucumber, sweet red bell pepper, and briny black olives, all harmonized by a tangy homemade vinaigrette of olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and a hint of honey. Topped with creamy crumbled feta cheese and fresh parsley, this colorful dish is a perfect balance of textures and Mediterranean-inspired flavors. Ready in just 30 minutes and served chilled, it's a refreshing, make-ahead pasta salad that’s ideal for summer picnics, potlucks, or meal prep.

Nutriscore Rating: 69/100

Prep Time:20 mins

Cook Time:10 mins

Total Time:30 mins

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 250 g Penne pasta
• 200 g Cherry tomatoes
• 1 medium Cucumber
• 1 medium Red bell pepper
• 100 g Black olives
• 100 g Feta cheese
• 2 tbsp Fresh parsley
• 4 tbsp Olive oil
• 2 tbsp Red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp Honey
• 0.5 tsp Salt
• 0.25 tsp Black pepper

Directions

Step 1

Cook the penne pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions, typically about 10 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.

Step 2

While the pasta cooks, prepare the vegetables: halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber and red bell pepper, and slice the black olives. Crumble the feta cheese and finely chop the fresh parsley.

Step 3

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and black pepper to make the dressing.

Step 4

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked and cooled pasta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, and black olives.

Step 5

Pour the dressing over the pasta and vegetables, and toss well to coat everything evenly.

Step 6

Add the crumbled feta cheese and parsley, and gently toss to combine, keeping the feta slightly intact for texture.

Step 7

Taste the salad and adjust the seasoning if needed with additional salt or pepper.

Step 8

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.

Step 9

Serve cold or at room temperature, garnished with extra parsley if desired.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(1078.0g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	1922.6

Total Fat 95.0g	0%
Saturated Fat 24.5g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 6.6g
Cholesterol 89mg	0%
Sodium 3196.9mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 221.6g	0%
Dietary Fiber 16.9g	0%
Total Sugars 18.6g
Protein 50.9g	0%

Vitamin D 16IU	0%
Calcium 660.3mg	0%
Iron 18.5mg	0%
Potassium 1685.1mg	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: 44.0%

Protein: 10.5%

Carbs: 45.6%