Secret Pasta Salad
Discover the magic behind "Secret Pasta Salad," a vibrant, flavor-packed dish that will elevate any gathering or meal! This Mediterranean-inspired recipe combines tender rotini or fusilli pasta with crisp, fresh veggies like cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and bell pepper, alongside the briny bite of black olives and creamy crumbled feta cheese. A zesty homemade dressing made of olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and aromatic spices like smoked paprika and oregano adds irresistible depth to every bite. Perfectly balanced with sweet honey and tangy white wine vinegar, this chilled pasta salad is ideal for potlucks, picnics, or weeknight dinners. Prep is quick and easy, with just 15 minutes of prep followed by chilling to meld the robust flavors. Serve this refreshing pasta salad as a side dish or a light main course and watch as the secret to its sensational taste wins over hearts (and plates)!
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 350 grams pasta (rotini or fusilli)
- 200 grams cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 medium cucumber, diced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
- 100 grams black olives, sliced
- 0.5 medium red onion, thinly sliced
- 100 grams feta cheese, crumbled
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente, following package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked pasta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, black olives, red onion, feta cheese, and parsley.
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, dried oregano, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper to make the dressing.
Pour the dressing over the pasta and vegetable mixture. Toss well to evenly coat everything in the dressing.
Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
Serve chilled or at room temperature, garnished with additional parsley if desired.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
295 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 17.9 g | 23% | |
| Saturated Fat | 4.5 g | 23% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.0 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 15 mg | 5% | |
| Sodium | 666 mg | 29% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 27.9 g | 10% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 3.5 g | 12% | |
| Total Sugars | 5.8 g | ||
| Protein | 7.1 g | 14% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.2 mcg | 1% | |
| Calcium | 125 mg | 10% | |
| Iron | 1.7 mg | 10% | |
| Potassium | 328 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.
