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Mediterranean Pasta Salad

Mediterranean salad with Greek pasta, olives, feta, artichokes, and sun-dried tomatoes tossed in a lemon-herb dressing. Penne is rinsed after cooking for a tender-yet-not-mushy bite, then chilled until the flavors meld.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
chilling 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Penne pasta
  • 1 lb penne pasta
Salad vegetables and mix-ins
  • 1 cup Kalamata olives, halved
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 cup artichoke hearts, quartered
  • 0.5 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
  • 0.5 cup red onion, diced
Cheese
  • 6 oz feta cheese, crumbled
Lemon-herb dressing
  • 0.25 cup olive oil
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 0.25 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 0.25 Salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Cook and prep
  1. Cook penne pasta according to package directions in boiling water, then drain and rinse with cold water until cool to the touch. This helps the pasta stay firm for a salad texture.
  2. Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, dried oregano, salt, and pepper until the dressing looks evenly combined. Stop whisking when no garlic bits or oregano clumps remain.
Assemble and chill
  1. Combine pasta, Kalamata olives, cherry tomatoes, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, red onion, and crumbled feta in a large bowl. Toss just enough to distribute the feta without breaking it too much.
  2. Pour lemon-herb dressing over the salad and toss gently until everything is glossy and coated. Scrape the bottom of the bowl to pull up any dry bits.
  3. Refrigerate the Mediterranean pasta salad for at least 2 hours to let the flavors meld. Cover it after tossing so the pasta stays from drying out.
  4. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley before serving for a fresh green finish. Add parsley right before serving for best color.

Notes

For best texture, rinse the pasta with cold water immediately after draining and let it dry for 5 minutes before dressing. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; the dressing helps leftovers taste better after a few hours. Freezing is not recommended because the tomatoes and feta can break down. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat feta and swap half the olive oil for additional lemon juice or a no-sugar-added Italian vinaigrette.