Description
A vibrant and refreshing Lemon Herb Mediterranean Pasta Salad loaded with fresh veggies, tangy feta, and a zesty lemon herb dressing. Perfect for a light lunch, picnic, or side dish, this pasta salad combines classic Mediterranean flavors in a quick and easy no-cook recipe after boiling the pasta.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 12 ounces penne pasta, dried
Dressing
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 pinch cracked pepper, to taste
Salad Components
- 4 cups Romaine or cos lettuce leaves, washed and dried
- 1 large cucumber, diced
- 1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and chopped
- 1/2 large red pepper, deseeded and cut into thin strips
- 9 ounces grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, sliced
- 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained
- 5-6 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the penne pasta and cook until al dente following the package instructions. Once cooked, drain the pasta and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool it down. Transfer the cooled pasta to a large mixing bowl.
- Prepare the Lemon Herb Dressing: While the pasta cooks, whisk together olive oil, fresh lemon juice, red wine vinegar, water, parsley, garlic, oregano, basil, salt, and cracked pepper in a jug or large bowl until well combined.
- Assemble the Salad: Add the romaine lettuce, diced cucumber, chopped avocado, thinly sliced red pepper, halved grape or cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced red onion, sliced kalamata olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and crumbled feta cheese to the bowl with the pasta.
- Toss with Dressing: Drizzle the prepared lemon herb dressing over the salad ingredients. Gently toss everything together to evenly coat all components with the dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve: Serve the Mediterranean pasta salad immediately for best freshness, or chill briefly in the refrigerator beforehand for a cool, refreshing touch.
Notes
- Rinsing the pasta after cooking stops it from overcooking and helps it cool quickly for the salad.
- Use fresh herbs and lemon juice for the best bright flavor in the dressing.
- Feel free to swap penne for another short pasta like rotini or farfalle.
- Avocado adds creaminess, but you can omit or substitute with olives for a different texture.
- This salad can be made a few hours ahead and chilled, but add avocado just before serving to avoid browning.
