Unbeatable Pasta Salad

Bright, fresh, and bursting with Mediterranean flavors, the Unbeatable Pasta Salad is your new go-to dish for picnics, potlucks, or quick weeknight dinners. This vibrant recipe combines tender penne pasta with crisp cucumbers, juicy cherry tomatoes, sweet red bell peppers, and zesty red onion for a medley of textures and colors. Tangy crumbled feta cheese and briny black olives elevate every bite, while a homemade dressing of extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and garlic ties it all together. Tossed with freshly chopped parsley and chilled to perfection, this pasta salad is as easy to make as it is flavorful. With a prep and cook time of just 30 minutes, it serves four deliciously. Perfectly satisfying whether served as a light main course or a versatile side dish!

Nutriscore Rating: 75/100

Prep Time:20 mins

Cook Time:10 mins

Total Time:30 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 250 g Penne pasta
• 250 g Cherry tomatoes
• 1 large Cucumber
• 1 medium Red bell pepper
• 1 small Red onion
• 100 g Black olives
• 150 g Feta cheese
• 15 g Fresh parsley
• 60 ml Extra virgin olive oil
• 30 ml Red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 clove Garlic
• 0.5 tsp Salt
• 0.25 tsp Black pepper

Directions

Step 1

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

Step 2

While the pasta cooks, prepare the vegetables. Halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber, chop the red bell pepper, and thinly slice the red onion. Place them all in a large mixing bowl.

Step 3

Slice the black olives in half and crumble the feta cheese. Add these to the mixing bowl with the vegetables.

Step 4

Finely chop the fresh parsley and stir it into the bowl with the vegetables and cheese.

Step 5

In a separate small bowl or jar, combine the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper. Whisk or shake well to emulsify the dressing.

Step 6

Add the cooled pasta to the mixing bowl with the vegetables and pour the dressing over the top.

Step 7

Toss everything together gently until all ingredients are evenly coated with the dressing.

Step 8

Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	1345.8 grams (1345.8g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	1703

Total Fat 74.00g	95%
Saturated Fat 10.60g	53%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.80g
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 2072mg	90%
Total Carbohydrate 232.80g	85%
Dietary Fiber 20.70g	74%
Total Sugars 22.30g
Protein 40.00g	80%

Vitamin D 0IU	0%
Calcium 246mg	19%
Iron 19mg	105%
Potassium 2266mg	48%

*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: 37.9%

Protein: 9.1%

Carbs: 53.0%