Simple Pasta Salad

Bright, fresh, and irresistibly easy, this Simple Pasta Salad is the ultimate go-to recipe for quick lunches, summer gatherings, or meal prep. Featuring tender penne pasta tossed with crisp cucumbers, juicy cherry tomatoes, sweet red bell peppers, and tangy red onion, this dish is packed with vibrant Mediterranean flavors. The addition of sliced black olives and creamy crumbled feta cheese takes it to the next level, while a zesty homemade dressing of olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and oregano ties it all together beautifully. Ready in just 25 minutes, this refreshing pasta salad is perfect served chilled, making it a versatile and crowd-pleasing choice for any occasion. Whether you're planning a picnic, barbecue, or a light dinner, this colorful pasta salad will quickly become a staple in your recipe collection!

Nutriscore Rating: 68/100

Prep Time:15 mins

Cook Time:10 mins

Total Time:25 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 250 grams penne pasta
• 1.5 cups cherry tomatoes
• 1 medium cucumber
• 1 red bell pepper
• 0.5 red onion
• 0.5 cups black olives (sliced)
• 0.75 cups feta cheese (crumbled)
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoons dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoons dried oregano
• 0.5 teaspoons salt
• 0.25 teaspoons ground black pepper

Directions

Step 1

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the penne pasta according to the package instructions until al dente, then drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process.

Step 2

While the pasta is cooking, prepare the vegetables. Halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber, red bell pepper, and red onion.

Step 3

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

Step 4

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

Step 5

Pour the dressing over the pasta and vegetable mixture, and gently toss to coat everything evenly.

Step 6

Add the crumbled feta cheese to the salad and gently mix again to combine.

Step 7

Cover the bowl and refrigerate the pasta salad for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.

Step 8

Serve chilled or at room temperature. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(1249.5g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	2117.9

Total Fat 108.5g	0%
Saturated Fat 36.7g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.1g
Cholesterol 160.3mg	0%
Sodium 4251.1mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 229.9g	0%
Dietary Fiber 20.9g	0%
Total Sugars 20.0g
Protein 65.2g	0%

Vitamin D 0IU	0%
Calcium 1076.4mg	0%
Iron 15.1mg	0%
Potassium 1936.4mg	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: 45.3%

Protein: 12.1%

Carbs: 42.6%