Description
A vibrant and tangy pasta salad featuring rotini pasta tossed with a zesty homemade dressing, fresh vegetables, feta cheese, and pepperoncini peppers. Perfectly chilled and bursting with Mediterranean flavors, this pasta salad is an ideal side dish for picnics, potlucks, or light meals.
Ingredients
Dressing Ingredients
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon fresh-squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar or honey
- 1 garlic clove, pressed
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt or table salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 2 Tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
Pasta Salad Ingredients
- 12 oz uncooked rotini pasta
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 cup halved or quartered cherry tomatoes
- ½ red bell pepper, diced (about ⅔ cup)
- ½ green bell pepper, diced (about ⅔ cup)
- ½ cup diced red onion
- ½ cup feta cheese
- ¼ cup sliced or chopped pepperoncini peppers (may substitute banana peppers)
- ½ cup thin-sliced, quartered cucumbers
- 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Make the dressing: In a measuring cup, small bowl, or mason jar, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, sugar or honey, pressed garlic, dried oregano, salt, black pepper, onion powder, dried thyme, crushed red pepper, and grated parmesan cheese until fully combined. Set aside.
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the rotini pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Immediately drain the pasta and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Transfer to a large mixing bowl, drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil, and stir well to prevent sticking.
- Add the vegetables and cheese: To the bowl with pasta, add halved cherry tomatoes, diced red and green bell peppers, diced red onion, feta cheese, sliced pepperoncini peppers, cucumber slices, and chopped fresh parsley. Toss gently to combine all ingredients evenly.
- Dress the salad: Give the prepared dressing another good whisk, then pour it evenly over the pasta salad ingredients. Stir thoroughly until everything is well coated with the dressing.
- Chill and serve: Cover the bowl and refrigerate the pasta salad for 30 to 60 minutes, or longer if desired. This resting time allows flavors to meld and deepen. Serve chilled for best taste.
Notes
- Use fresh-squeezed lemon juice for best flavor in the dressing.
- Rinsing the cooked pasta under cold water stops cooking and cools the pasta for salad use.
- Adding olive oil after draining the pasta prevents it from sticking together.
- Adjust the amount of crushed red pepper to your preferred spice level.
- Feel free to substitute pepperoncini peppers with banana peppers if preferred.
- This pasta salad can be made a day ahead and kept refrigerated to enhance flavors.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 13 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
