Description
This Easy Summer Pasta Salad is the perfect quick side dish for warm-weather meals, cookouts, picnics, and potlucks. Loaded with tender pasta, crisp cucumbers, juicy cherry tomatoes, red onion, and tangy feta cheese, it’s tossed in a simple homemade dressing that brings everything together. Fresh, colorful, and ready in just 10 minutes, this pasta salad is a summer staple you’ll make again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Salad
- 12 ounces rotini pasta, cooked and cooled
- 1 cup cucumber, diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup red onion, diced
- 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
For the Dressing
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente.
- Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process.
- Transfer the cooled pasta to a large mixing bowl.
- Add the cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red onion, feta cheese, and parsley.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Pour the dressing over the pasta mixture.
- Toss gently until everything is evenly coated.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate for at least 30 minutes for even more flavor.
Notes
- Cook the pasta just until al dente to prevent a mushy salad.
- Cooling the pasta completely helps the dressing coat better.
- English cucumbers work especially well because they contain fewer seeds.
- Fresh herbs provide the brightest flavor.
- The salad tastes even better after chilling for a short time.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8 servings
- Calories: 285 per serving