Picnic Pasta Salad

Nutriscore Rating: 70/100

Bursting with vibrant Mediterranean flavors, this Picnic Pasta Salad is the perfect dish for your next outdoor gathering, potluck, or casual weeknight dinner. Featuring tender bowtie pasta, crisp cucumbers, sweet cherry tomatoes, and colorful red bell peppers, this salad is balanced with the briny richness of kalamata olives and creamy crumbled feta. Tossed in a zesty homemade dressing made with olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and aromatic herbs, it promises a mouthwatering medley of tangy and savory notes in every bite. Ready in just 30 minutes, this make-ahead, crowd-pleasing recipe is ideal for serving chilled, ensuring it stays fresh and vibrant even on warm summer days. Elevate your mealtime with this easy, flavorful pasta salad that's as light and refreshing as it is satisfying!

Recipe Information

• Prep Time: 20 min
• Cook Time: 10 min
• Total Time: 30 min
• Servings: 6 servings
• Difficulty: Medium

🥘 Ingredients

15 items

• 12 oz bowtie (farfalle) pasta
• 1.5 cups cherry tomatoes
• 1 large cucumber
• 1 red bell pepper
• 0.5 red onion
• 0.5 cup kalamata olives (pitted)
• 0.75 cup feta cheese (crumbled)
• 0.25 cup fresh parsley
• 0.25 cup olive oil
• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 0.5 tsp salt
• 0.25 tsp black pepper

📝 Instructions

9 steps

1. Cook the bowtie pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.

2. While the pasta cooks, halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber, chop the red bell pepper, and thinly slice the red onion. Add these to a large mixing bowl.

3. Slice the kalamata olives into halves and add them to the bowl along with the crumbled feta cheese and chopped fresh parsley.

4. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper to create the dressing.

5. Add the cooked and cooled pasta to the large mixing bowl with the vegetables, olives, and feta cheese.

6. Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and gently toss everything together until well combined.

7. Taste and adjust seasoning with extra salt or pepper if desired.

8. Cover and refrigerate the pasta salad for at least 30 minutes before serving to let the flavors meld together.

9. Serve chilled or at room temperature. Enjoy your Picnic Pasta Salad!

Nutrition Facts

1 serving (237.3g)

Calories		409
% Daily Value*
Total Fat		19.0 g	24%
	Saturated Fat	5.0 g	25%
	Polyunsaturated Fat	0.0 g
Cholesterol		17 mg	6%
Sodium		553 mg	24%
Total Carbohydrate		50.3 g	18%
	Dietary Fiber	3.8 g	14%
	Total Sugars	5.0 g
Protein		11.2 g	22%
Vitamin D		0.2 mcg	1%
Calcium		141 mg	11%
Iron		2.1 mg	12%
Potassium		341 mg	7%

*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: 1021 cal (40.9%%)

Protein: 268 cal (10.7%%)

Carbs: 1209 cal (48.4%%)