Bright, fresh, and irresistibly simple, the "Too Easy Pasta Salad" is the ultimate quick-fix dish for potlucks, picnics, or effortless weeknight dinners. Bursting with vibrant ingredients like juicy cherry tomatoes, crisp cucumber, briny black olives, and creamy feta cheese, this pasta salad combines bold Mediterranean flavors with minimal effort. Finished with a zesty dressing of extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, and fresh basil, itβs a refreshing, crowd-pleasing recipe that comes together in just 25 minutes. Perfect served chilled or at room temperature, this no-fuss recipe is a summer favorite that pairs beautifully with grilled meats or stands alone as a light vegetarian meal.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the penne pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool, then set aside.
While the pasta cooks, halve the cherry tomatoes and thinly slice the cucumber and red onion.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked pasta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, black olives, and crumbled feta cheese.
Chop the fresh basil leaves and add them to the bowl.
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper to create the dressing.
Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and toss gently to combine, ensuring everything is evenly coated.
Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve immediately or refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
Garnish with extra basil leaves before serving, if desired. Enjoy!
Calories |
1802 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 85.5 g | 110% | |
| Saturated Fat | 22.8 g | 114% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.7 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 89 mg | 30% | |
| Sodium | 3107 mg | 135% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 220.5 g | 80% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 18.0 g | 64% | |
| Total Sugars | 13.6 g | ||
| Protein | 51.4 g | 103% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.4 mcg | 2% | |
| Calcium | 653 mg | 50% | |
| Iron | 13.4 mg | 74% | |
| Potassium | 1600 mg | 34% | |
*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.