Garden Pasta Salad
Bright, colorful, and bursting with fresh flavor, this Garden Pasta Salad is a vibrant crowd-pleaser that's perfect for warm-weather gatherings or meal prepping. Tender rotini pasta is tossed with crisp cucumbers, juicy cherry tomatoes, crunchy red bell peppers, and a touch of tangy red onion. Sliced black olives, baby spinach, and creamy crumbled feta cheese add delicious depth, while a zesty homemade vinaigrette made with extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and fragrant herbs ties it all together. Topped with fresh parsley, this chilled pasta salad is a refreshing, wholesome dish that comes together in just 25 minutes and is guaranteed to become a favorite at picnics, barbecues, or as an easy weeknight dinner.
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 12 oz rotini pasta
- 1.5 cups cherry tomatoes
- 1 medium cucumber
- 1 medium red bell pepper
- 0.5 medium red onion
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 0.5 cup black olives (sliced)
- 0.75 cup feta cheese (crumbled)
- 0.25 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic (minced)
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 0.25 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped)
Instructions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rotini pasta and cook according to the package instructions until al dente, about 8-10 minutes.
While the pasta cooks, prepare the vegetables: halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber, red bell pepper, and red onion, and roughly chop the baby spinach.
Drain the cooked pasta and rinse it under cold water to cool it down. Set aside to drain completely.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper to make the dressing.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, baby spinach, black olives, and feta cheese.
Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss gently to mix everything evenly.
Sprinkle the chopped parsley over the salad and give it a final toss.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld together.
Serve chilled and enjoy your Garden Pasta Salad!
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
2662 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 125.8 g | 161% | |
| Saturated Fat | 39.1 g | 196% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.1 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 160 mg | 53% | |
| Sodium | 4300 mg | 187% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 308.8 g | 112% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 25.7 g | 92% | |
| Total Sugars | 31.9 g | ||
| Protein | 78.8 g | 158% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.0 mcg | 0% | |
| Calcium | 1272 mg | 98% | |
| Iron | 20.3 mg | 113% | |
| Potassium | 2296 mg | 49% | |
*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.
