Picnic Pasta Salad

Bursting with vibrant Mediterranean flavors, this Picnic Pasta Salad is the perfect dish for your next outdoor gathering, potluck, or casual weeknight dinner. Featuring tender bowtie pasta, crisp cucumbers, sweet cherry tomatoes, and colorful red bell peppers, this salad is balanced with the briny richness of kalamata olives and creamy crumbled feta. Tossed in a zesty homemade dressing made with olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and aromatic herbs, it promises a mouthwatering medley of tangy and savory notes in every bite. Ready in just 30 minutes, this make-ahead, crowd-pleasing recipe is ideal for serving chilled, ensuring it stays fresh and vibrant even on warm summer days. Elevate your mealtime with this easy, flavorful pasta salad that's as light and refreshing as it is satisfying!

Nutriscore Rating: 70/100

Prep Time:20 mins

Cook Time:10 mins

Total Time:30 mins

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 12 oz bowtie (farfalle) pasta
• 1.5 cups cherry tomatoes
• 1 large cucumber
• 1 red bell pepper
• 0.5 red onion
• 0.5 cup kalamata olives (pitted)
• 0.75 cup feta cheese (crumbled)
• 0.25 cup fresh parsley
• 0.25 cup olive oil
• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 0.5 tsp salt
• 0.25 tsp black pepper

Directions

Step 1

Cook the bowtie pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.

Step 2

While the pasta cooks, halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber, chop the red bell pepper, and thinly slice the red onion. Add these to a large mixing bowl.

Step 3

Slice the kalamata olives into halves and add them to the bowl along with the crumbled feta cheese and chopped fresh parsley.

Step 4

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

Step 5

Add the cooked and cooled pasta to the large mixing bowl with the vegetables, olives, and feta cheese.

Step 6

Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and gently toss everything together until well combined.

Step 7

Taste and adjust seasoning with extra salt or pepper if desired.

Step 8

Cover and refrigerate the pasta salad for at least 30 minutes before serving to let the flavors meld together.

Step 9

Serve chilled or at room temperature. Enjoy your Picnic Pasta Salad!

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(1591.5g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	2713.3

Total Fat 133.0g	0%
Saturated Fat 40.9g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 5.4g
Cholesterol 160.3mg	0%
Sodium 4285.7mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 310.9g	0%
Dietary Fiber 24.4g	0%
Total Sugars 32.8g
Protein 78.6g	0%

Vitamin D 0IU	0%
Calcium 1205.2mg	0%
Iron 12.4mg	0%
Potassium 2289.2mg	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: 43.4%

Protein: 11.4%

Carbs: 45.1%