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Fresh Greek Pasta Salad Recipe Easy Homemade Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Olives

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A bright and fresh Greek pasta salad featuring sun-dried tomatoes, Kalamata olives, and creamy feta cheese, tossed in a lemony olive oil dressing. Perfect for quick lunches, potlucks, or casual dinners with a Mediterranean flair.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 12 ounces (340 grams) short pasta like fusilli, penne, or rotini
  • ½ cup (about 60 grams) oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (reserve 1 tablespoon oil)
  • ½ cup (about 70 grams) Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
  • ¾ cup (about 110 grams) feta cheese, crumbled
  • ¼ cup red onion, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried oregano)
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • ¼ cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil plus 1 tablespoon reserved from sun-dried tomatoes
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • Optional: handful of chopped cucumber or cherry tomatoes

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add 12 ounces (340 grams) of pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente (about 9-11 minutes). Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
  2. Drain the pasta and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool it down. Set aside to drain completely (about 5 minutes).
  3. While the pasta cooks, pit and slice ½ cup Kalamata olives, finely chop ½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, crumble ¾ cup feta cheese, and mince 1 garlic clove. Finely chop ¼ cup red onion and 2 tablespoons fresh oregano. Chop optional cucumber or cherry tomatoes if using.
  4. In a small bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, and 1 tablespoon reserved sun-dried tomato oil. Add minced garlic and a pinch of black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
  5. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, red onion, and oregano. Pour the dressing over and toss gently but thoroughly to coat evenly.
  6. Fold in the crumbled feta cheese gently to avoid breaking it up too much.
  7. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes before serving to let flavors marry. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Notes

[‘Do not overcook pasta; al dente is best to avoid mushy salad.’, ‘Use oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes for best flavor; rehydrate dry ones if needed.’, ‘Slice olives thinly to distribute flavor evenly.’, ‘Fresh oregano brightens the salad more than dried.’, ‘Minced or grated garlic blends better into the dressing.’, ‘Fold in feta gently to keep chunks intact.’, ‘The salad tastes better after chilling overnight.’, ‘Adjust salt carefully due to salty feta and olives.’, ‘Rinse pasta under cold water to prevent clumping.’, ‘Add extra olive oil or lemon juice if salad seems dry after chilling.’]

Nutrition

Keywords: Greek pasta salad, sun-dried tomatoes, Kalamata olives, feta cheese, Mediterranean salad, easy pasta salad, healthy lunch, vegetarian pasta salad

Find it online: https://bitefuljoy.com/fresh-greek-pasta-salad-recipe-easy-homemade-sun-dried-tomatoes-and-olives/