Description
A vibrant and flavorful pasta salad combining rotini pasta with a zesty homemade dressing, fresh vegetables, feta cheese, and pepperoncini peppers. Perfect for picnics, potlucks, or a refreshing side dish, this recipe is quick to assemble and benefits from chilling to deepen its bright Mediterranean-inspired flavors.
Ingredients
Dressing
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice (fresh-squeezed preferred)
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar or honey
- 1 garlic clove, pressed
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt or table salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 2 Tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
Salad
- 12 oz uncooked rotini pasta
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
- ½ red bell pepper, diced (about ⅔ cup)
- ½ green bell pepper, diced (about ⅔ cup)
- ½ cup diced red onion
- ½ cup feta cheese
- ¼ cup sliced or chopped pepperoncini peppers (may substitute banana peppers)
- ½ cup thin-sliced, quartered cucumbers
- 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Make the dressing: In a measuring cup, small bowl, or mason jar, combine olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, sugar or honey, pressed garlic, dried oregano, salt, black pepper, onion powder, dried thyme, crushed red pepper, and grated parmesan cheese. Whisk well until all ingredients are thoroughly combined. Set aside to allow flavors to meld.
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add rotini pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Immediately drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool the pasta. Transfer to a large mixing bowl, drizzle with 1 teaspoon of olive oil, and stir gently to prevent sticking.
- Add vegetables and cheese: To the bowl with pasta, add cherry tomatoes, diced red and green bell peppers, diced red onion, feta cheese, sliced pepperoncini peppers, cucumbers, and chopped fresh parsley. Toss gently to combine all the salad ingredients evenly.
- Combine salad with dressing: Whisk the dressing once more, then pour it evenly over the pasta mixture. Stir thoroughly to ensure each ingredient is well-coated with the dressing, enhancing the overall flavor.
- Chill before serving: Cover the salad and refrigerate for at least 30 to 60 minutes or longer. This chilling step allows the flavors to deepen and meld together, making the pasta salad more delicious when served cold.
Notes
- Use rotini pasta or similar shaped pasta that holds the dressing well.
- Rinsing the pasta with cold water after cooking stops the cooking and cools it quickly, which is essential for a cold pasta salad.
- If you prefer a sweeter dressing, substitute granulated sugar with honey.
- Covering and chilling the salad for at least 30 minutes enhances the flavor meld.
- For a milder pepper flavor, substitute pepperoncini with banana peppers.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 13 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean