Mop It Up Pasta Salad

Bright, fresh, and irresistible, Mop It Up Pasta Salad is a Mediterranean-inspired dish that’s perfect for potlucks, picnics, or light meals. Packed with vibrant ingredients like juicy cherry tomatoes, crisp cucumber, red bell pepper, briny black olives, and creamy crumbled feta, this pasta salad is as colorful as it is flavorful. Tossed in a tangy homemade dressing made with extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and aromatic garlic, every bite delivers a perfect blend of zesty and savory notes. The secret? Serve it with crusty bread to "mop up" the extra dressing—because you'll want every last drop! Ready in just 30 minutes, it’s a quick, crowd-pleasing recipe that captures the flavors of summer in every forkful. Perfect for cold serving and easy to make ahead, this dish will quickly become your go-to pasta salad.

Nutriscore Rating: 67/100

Prep Time:20 mins

Cook Time:10 mins

Total Time:30 mins

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 12 oz rotini pasta
• 1.5 cups cherry tomatoes
• 1 cucumber
• 1 red bell pepper
• 0.5 red onion
• 0.5 cups black olives
• 0.75 cups feta cheese, crumbled
• 0.25 cups fresh basil leaves
• 0.25 cups extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp salt
• 0.5 tsp black pepper

Directions

Step 1

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the rotini pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside.

Step 2

While the pasta is cooking, halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber, and chop the red bell pepper into small pieces. Thinly slice the red onion and roughly chop the black olives.

Step 3

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

Step 4

For the dressing, in a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper until emulsified.

Step 5

Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and toss well to ensure everything is evenly coated.

Step 6

Chop the fresh basil leaves and gently fold them into the salad.

Step 7

Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.

Step 8

Serve cold or at room temperature, accompanied by crusty bread to mop up the extra dressing. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	1292.7 grams (1292.7g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	2513

Total Fat 111.80g	143%
Saturated Fat 35.00g	175%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.50g
Cholesterol 150mg	50%
Sodium 5008mg	218%
Total Carbohydrate 303.10g	110%
Dietary Fiber 21.50g	77%
Total Sugars 31.40g
Protein 74.70g	149%

Vitamin D 0IU	0%
Calcium 1135mg	87%
Iron 20mg	112%
Potassium 2144mg	46%

*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: 40.0%

Protein: 11.9%

Carbs: 48.2%