A Greek Pasta Salad filled with fresh vegetables, vinaigrette with feta and basil.
This recipe came about by accident one night when I was making grilled chicken and a greek salad on the side, and more people showed up so I added the pasta to the salad to fill up the table. It was a delicious and easy summer upgrade and has become a favorite in rotation.
You may have noticed I’m a little behind on posting this summer. Like most of you, I am trying to savor summer and be outside as much as possible. This is one of those meals you can make ahead, and have on hand for days at the ready – leaving more time for swimming, and being with family and friends. It’s also the perfect thing to bring to the beach or on the boat!
Greek Pasta Salad with Basil and Feta
Greek Pasta Salad filled with fresh vegetables, vinaigrette and crumbled feta
Ingredients
- 1 lb bite sized pasta - I like large shells
- 2 pints halved cherry tomatoes
- 1 small red onion, cut into bite sized slivers
- 1/2 English cucumber, chopped into bite sized pieces
- 2 cups mini peppers, chopped into small pieces
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 Tbsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 lb. block feta cheese, broken into bite sized pieces
- optional - add chopped peperoncini to garnish
Instructions
- Heat a large pot of water to boil for cooking the pasta. Heavily salt and cook according to package directions.
- Meanwhile, In a large bowl or platter with edges, pile in the veggies; tomatoes, onion, cucumber, peppers, and basil, tossing to combine.
- In a jar or small glass bowl, combine the olive oil, vinegar, oregano, chili flakes, salt and pepper, shaking or stirring to combine.
- When the pasta is done, drain and add to the bowl with the veggies. Toss the vinaigrette on top and fold everything together while the pasta is warm - this will help it absorb the flavors. When it's cooled to room temperature, add the feta, and top with chopped peperoncini if desired.
Notes
This is a flexible recipe, like most pasta salads, so you can swap out veggies as you find your favorites. The vinaigrette is delicious and I often double it to have on hand. I also like to add more if using the next day, so if you make this ahead, I suggest making extra dressing.
