Mediterranean Pasta Salad Recipe
A vibrant and refreshing Mediterranean Pasta Salad featuring fusilli pasta tossed with crisp cucumbers, juicy cherry tomatoes, baby spinach, tangy feta cheese, and kalamata olives, all coated in a zesty homemade dressing of olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and herbs.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 8 ounces fusilli pasta
Vegetables & Cheese
- 1 English cucumber, diced
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup baby spinach
- ½ red onion, sliced
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- ¼ cup kalamata olives, halved
Dressing
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried mint
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. Add the fusilli pasta and cook based on the package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse thoroughly under cold running water until completely cooled to stop the cooking process and prevent sticking. Set aside.
- Prepare the Dressing: In a large serving bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, oregano, dried mint, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper until the dressing is well emulsified and smooth.
- Toss the Salad: Add the cooled pasta on top of the dressing in the bowl and toss well to evenly coat the pasta with the dressing. Then add diced cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, baby spinach, sliced red onion, crumbled feta cheese, and halved kalamata olives. Toss gently yet thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly coated and combined.
- Serve or Chill: Serve the Mediterranean pasta salad immediately for a fresh taste, or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 hours to allow the flavors to meld and the salad to chill before serving.
Notes
- This salad can be made a few hours in advance and refrigerated, but for best texture, add fresh spinach just before serving.
- Feel free to substitute fusilli with other short pasta shapes like penne or rotini.
- Add fresh herbs such as parsley or basil for extra flavor.
- For a vegan version, omit feta cheese or replace with a plant-based cheese alternative.
- Adjust salt to taste depending on the saltiness of feta and olives.
Keywords: Mediterranean pasta salad, fusilli salad, vegetarian pasta salad, summer salad, spinach salad, feta cheese salad
Find it online: https://trendytasterecipes.com/mediterranean-pasta-salad-recipe/
