Refreshing Cold Pasta Salad

Bright, zesty, and absolutely delicious, this Refreshing Cold Pasta Salad is a must-make for potlucks, picnics, or quick weekday meals. Featuring al dente penne pasta tossed with crisp cucumbers, juicy cherry tomatoes, sweet red peppers, briny black olives, and creamy crumbled feta cheese, this salad is bursting with Mediterranean-inspired flavors. The tangy homemade dressing, made with extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, and a splash of lemon juice, ties everything together beautifully. Ready in just 30 minutes—including a quick chill for ultimate flavor infusion—this pasta salad is as easy to prepare as it is satisfying. Perfectly balanced, colorful, and packed with wholesome ingredients, it's a light yet hearty dish that's sure to impress at any gathering!

Nutriscore Rating: 69/100

Prep Time:20 mins

Cook Time:10 mins

Total Time:30 mins

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 300 grams penne pasta
• 200 grams cherry tomatoes
• 1 medium cucumber
• 1 medium red bell pepper
• 0.5 medium red onion
• 100 grams black olives
• 100 grams feta cheese
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 0.5 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Step 1

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the penne pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool the pasta quickly. Set aside.

Step 2

Halve the cherry tomatoes and add them to a large mixing bowl.

Step 3

Peel and dice the cucumber and add to the bowl.

Step 4

Remove the seeds from the red bell pepper, dice it, and add it into the bowl with tomatoes and cucumber.

Step 5

Thinly slice the red onion and add it to the mixture.

Step 6

Cut the black olives in halves and crumble the feta cheese. Add both to the bowl.

Step 7

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper to make the dressing.

Step 8

Add the cooked pasta to the vegetable mixture and pour the dressing over the top.

Step 9

Toss everything together gently until all ingredients are well combined and the pasta is evenly coated with dressing.

Step 10

Chill the pasta salad in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld.

Step 11

Serve cold and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	1166.8 grams (1166.8g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	1953

Total Fat 81.00g	104%
Saturated Fat 21.80g	109%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.30g
Cholesterol 89mg	30%
Sodium 4259mg	185%
Total Carbohydrate 260.00g	95%
Dietary Fiber 20.00g	71%
Total Sugars 15.90g
Protein 57.80g	116%

Vitamin D 16IU	80%
Calcium 677mg	52%
Iron 20mg	112%
Potassium 1834mg	39%

*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: 36.4%

Protein: 11.6%

Carbs: 52.0%