Whole grain pasta tossed with crisp summer veggies, olives, and light feta for a refreshing Mediterranean dish.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 8 oz whole grain fusilli or penne pasta
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
06 - ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
07 - 1 cup baby spinach, roughly chopped
08 - ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
→ Additions
09 - ⅓ cup kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
10 - 3.5 oz light feta cheese, crumbled
→ Dressing
11 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
12 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
13 - 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
14 - 1 garlic clove, finely minced
15 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
16 - ½ teaspoon sea salt
17 - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
# How-To Steps:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook whole grain pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water until completely cooled.
02 - In a large salad bowl, combine halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, diced red and yellow bell peppers, thinly sliced red onion, chopped baby spinach, and fresh parsley.
03 - Add the cooled pasta, sliced kalamata olives, and crumbled light feta cheese to the vegetable mixture in the bowl.
04 - In a small mixing bowl, whisk together extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, dried oregano, sea salt, and black pepper until the mixture emulsifies into a cohesive dressing.
05 - Drizzle the prepared dressing over the salad and gently toss all ingredients together, ensuring the dressing evenly coats all components.
06 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Refrigerate for 10 to 15 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld and ingredients to chill.
