Description
This Quick Pasta Salad with Greek Yogurt Dressing is a refreshing and delicious dish perfect for a light meal or a side. It features perfectly cooked al dente rotini pasta, fresh diced tomatoes, cucumbers, colorful peppers, kalamata olives, and crumbled feta cheese, all tossed in a creamy, tangy Greek yogurt dressing with oregano and garlic flavors. Ready in just 30 minutes, it’s a healthy, flavorful choice that’s perfect for warm days, gatherings, or meal prep.
Ingredients
For the Pasta Salad:
- 1 lb rotini pasta (Barilla recommended for best al dente texture)
- 3 tomatoes (cut into 1/2-inch dice)
- 3 cucumbers (diced to match tomato size)
- 1 red pepper (diced)
- 1 green pepper (diced)
- 3/4 cup parsley (roughly chopped)
- 3/4 cup olives (Mezzetta sliced kalamata preferred)
- 8 oz feta cheese (crumbled into small chunks)
For the Dressing:
- 1.25 cups Greek yogurt (Fage 5% for creamier texture)
- 1/4 red onion (finely minced)
- 2.5 tsp dried oregano
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- Salt (to taste)
- Pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Prepare Vegetables: Dice the tomatoes into 1/2-inch pieces and place them in a bowl to retain their juices. Dice the cucumbers, red pepper, and green pepper into similarly sized pieces. Finely mince the quarter of a red onion for even flavor distribution. Roughly chop the parsley and crumble the feta cheese. Measure out the sliced kalamata olives. Having all ingredients prepped beforehand ensures easy assembly later.
- Cook and Cool Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the rotini pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente, which means the pasta should be tender but still firm to the bite. Drain the pasta in a colander and rinse with cold water until cooled completely to stop cooking and prevent mushiness. Transfer the cooled pasta to a large mixing bowl.
- Make the Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, olive oil, oregano, garlic powder, minced red onion, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper until smooth and well combined. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired, keeping in mind the saltiness from feta and olives will contribute to the overall flavor.
- Combine Salad Ingredients: Add all prepped vegetables along with the tomato juices to the bowl containing the cooled pasta. Pour the Greek yogurt dressing over the top and toss gently but thoroughly to ensure every ingredient is coated evenly.
- Season and Chill: Taste the salad and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if necessary, but season conservatively due to the feta and olives. Refrigerate the salad for at least 15-20 minutes to let the flavors meld and allow pasta to absorb the dressing. Before serving, give it a gentle stir and do a final flavor check.
- Serve: Serve chilled as a refreshing side dish or a light main course perfect for warm days or gatherings.
Notes
- Use Barilla rotini or any quality pasta brand for the best al dente texture.
- Rinsing the pasta with cold water after cooking stops the cooking process and prevents mushy pasta.
- Finely mincing the red onion distributes flavor more evenly and reduces sharp bites.
- Adjust the salt carefully as feta, olives, and tomato juices add natural saltiness.
- Letting the salad chill allows the flavors to meld and improves taste and texture.
- Can be prepared a few hours ahead and stored covered in the refrigerator.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
