Description
This Easy Italian Pasta Salad is a quick and refreshing side dish featuring tricolor rotini pasta, crisp cucumbers, juicy tomatoes, tangy feta cheese, and black olives, all tossed in flavorful Italian dressing. Perfect for picnics, potlucks, or a light meal, it can be prepared in just 15 minutes and is delicious served chilled.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad Ingredients
- 1 box (12 oz) tricolor rotini pasta
- 1 cup chopped cucumber (peeled and seeded, about 1 cucumber)
- 1 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes
- 1/4 cup finely diced red onion
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 can (2.25 oz) sliced black olives, drained
Dressing
- 1/2 – 1 cup Italian salad dressing (to taste)
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the tricolor rotini pasta according to the package directions. Once fully cooked, drain the pasta and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool the noodles.
- Prepare the Vegetables: While the pasta cooks, peel, seed, and chop the cucumber, halve the cherry or grape tomatoes, and finely dice the red onion to prepare the fresh vegetables.
- Mix the Salad: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta, chopped cucumber, halved tomatoes, crumbled feta cheese, drained black olives, and diced red onion thoroughly.
- Add the Dressing: Pour 1/2 cup of Italian salad dressing over the salad ingredients and toss until everything is well combined. Taste the salad and add up to an additional 1/2 cup of dressing, a few tablespoons at a time, until your preferred flavor and consistency is reached.
- Chill and Serve: Although the salad can be enjoyed immediately, refrigerate for 1-2 hours to allow the flavors to meld beautifully. Before serving, add more dressing if needed, as the pasta will absorb some while chilling.
Notes
- For best results, use chilled pasta and vegetables to keep the salad fresh and crisp.
- You can substitute Italian dressing with a homemade vinaigrette if desired.
- Feel free to add additional vegetables such as bell peppers or red pepper flakes for a spicy kick.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
