Pretty Party Pasta Salad
Brighten up your next gathering with this colorful and flavor-packed Pretty Party Pasta Salad! Featuring tender rotini pasta tossed with a medley of fresh veggies—juicy cherry tomatoes, crisp cucumber, sweet red bell pepper, and zesty red onion—this dish is as vibrant as it is delicious. Briny kalamata olives and creamy feta cheese add a Mediterranean flair, while a tangy red wine vinegar dressing infused with extra virgin olive oil, oregano, and garlic powder ties it all together perfectly. Finished with a sprinkle of fresh parsley, this make-ahead pasta salad is a crowd-pleasing side dish that's ideal for potlucks, barbecues, or any festive occasion. Best served chilled, it’s a refreshing, easy-to-make recipe that’s bound to become a favorite!
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 12 oz rotini pasta
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 1 large cucumber
- 1 medium red bell pepper
- 0.5 medium red onion
- 0.5 cup kalamata olives (pitted and halved)
- 0.75 cup feta cheese crumbles
- 0.25 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 0.5 tsp garlic powder
- 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. Cook the rotini pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool down, then set aside.
While the pasta cooks, prepare the vegetables: halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber into small chunks, dice the red bell pepper, and finely slice the red onion.
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper to make the dressing.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked and cooled pasta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, and kalamata olives.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat all the ingredients evenly.
Gently fold in the feta cheese crumbles and chopped parsley.
Cover and refrigerate the pasta salad for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
Serve cold or at room temperature. Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
2492 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 109.5 g | 140% | |
| Saturated Fat | 24.9 g | 124% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.1 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 75 mg | 25% | |
| Sodium | 3655 mg | 159% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 312.4 g | 114% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 26.2 g | 94% | |
| Total Sugars | 37.0 g | ||
| Protein | 64.5 g | 129% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.0 mcg | 0% | |
| Calcium | 780 mg | 60% | |
| Iron | 18.0 mg | 100% | |
| Potassium | 2655 mg | 56% | |
*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.
