Description
A fresh and vibrant Traditional Greek Pasta Salad featuring plant-based feta, crisp vegetables, and a zesty apple cider vinegar dressing. This Mediterranean-inspired salad offers a perfect balance of textures and bright flavors, ideal for warm days or as a colorful side dish year-round.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Base
- 200g short pasta (fusilli or penne)
Vegetables and Add-ins
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cucumber, diced
- 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
Cheese
- 150g plant-based feta (crumbled)
Dressing
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar dressing (natural)
- 1 garlic clove, minced (natural)
- 1 tsp dried oregano (natural)
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: 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 and stop the cooking process, then set aside.
- Prepare the Vegetables: While the pasta cooks, wash and chop the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber, thinly slice the red onion, roughly chop the parsley, and pit and halve the Kalamata olives for easy eating.
- Make the Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar dressing (natural), minced garlic (natural), dried oregano (natural), salt, and black pepper. Adjust the seasoning to taste.
- Combine Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, gently toss the cooled pasta with the vegetables, plant-based feta, and olives. Pour the dressing over and mix carefully to coat everything evenly without breaking the ingredients.
- Chill and Serve: Refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes before serving to let the flavors meld. Give it a gentle toss again before plating.
Notes
- Use cold water to rinse pasta to stop cooking immediately and prevent mushiness.
- Chop ingredients evenly for balanced bites.
- Let the salad rest in the fridge to deepen the flavor profile.
- Add dressing gradually to control tanginess and moisture.
- Use fresh herbs whenever possible to enhance freshness.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 320mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: Greek pasta salad, plant-based feta salad, Mediterranean salad, vegan pasta salad, healthy pasta salad
