Sun Drenched Pasta Salad
Brighten up your meals with this vibrant Sun Drenched Pasta Salad – a medley of Mediterranean-inspired flavors that's perfect for any occasion. Featuring tender fusilli or penne pasta tossed with juicy sun-dried and cherry tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, crunchy red bell peppers, and briny black olives, this salad is bursting with color and texture. A tangy homemade dressing made with extra virgin olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and a hint of honey elevates every bite, while crumbled feta cheese and fresh basil add savory and herbaceous notes. Ready in just 30 minutes, this easy-to-make, no-fuss pasta salad is ideal for summer potlucks, picnics, or meal-prepping healthy lunches. Serve it chilled or at room temperature for a refreshing taste of sunshine in every bite!
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 300 grams pasta (fusilli or penne)
- 100 grams sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil, drained and sliced)
- 150 grams cherry tomatoes (halved)
- 1 large cucumber (diced)
- 1 medium red bell pepper (diced)
- 0.5 medium red onion (thinly sliced)
- 50 grams black olives (pitted and sliced)
- 100 grams feta cheese (crumbled)
- 20 grams fresh basil leaves (chopped)
- 60 ml olive oil (extra virgin)
- 30 ml lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
- 2 pieces garlic cloves (minced)
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 0.5 teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground)
Instructions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool it down quickly. Set aside.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, dijon mustard, honey, salt, and black pepper to create the dressing. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta, sun-dried tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, black olives, and fresh basil.
Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and toss gently to coat all the ingredients evenly.
Add the crumbled feta cheese and toss lightly to combine, being careful not to break up the feta too much.
Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt or pepper, if necessary.
Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
732 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 53.1 g | 68% | |
| Saturated Fat | 8.2 g | 41% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.0 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% | |
| Sodium | 3766 mg | 164% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 59.7 g | 22% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 14.7 g | 52% | |
| Total Sugars | 33.8 g | ||
| Protein | 12.2 g | 24% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.0 mcg | 0% | |
| Calcium | 182 mg | 14% | |
| Iron | 7.5 mg | 42% | |
| Potassium | 2317 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.
