Mediterranean Pasta Salad

A vibrant, crowd-pleasing pasta salad loaded with olives, feta, sun-dried tomatoes, and a zesty oregano dressing.

By Cressio Rinaldi

A good pasta salad is one of the most useful recipes you can have. It feeds a crowd, it travels well and it tastes better after a rest. A bad pasta salad is the opposite: bland, dry and clumpy. The difference is a handful of small habits.

This one is loaded with the things that make Mediterranean food taste so good: salty Kalamata olives, tangy feta, sweet cherry tomatoes, cool cucumber and chewy sun-dried tomatoes. An Italian dressing ties it together, and a half hour in the fridge lets the flavors blend.

It serves six, takes 25 minutes, and most of that is chopping. It is also a recipe that rewards a little tasting at the end.

Read this first

1. Cook the pasta to al dente, then rinse it with cold water so it doesn’t clump.
2. Chill the salad for at least 30 minutes. The flavor improves.
3. Taste before serving. Chilled food needs more seasoning than warm food.

Prep time: 15 mins · Cook time: 10 mins · Serves 6

Ingredients

• 12 oz Rotini pasta
• 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, halved
• 1/2 cup Feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 cup Cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 Cucumber, diced
• 1/4 Red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup Sun-dried tomatoes
• 1/2 cup Italian dressing

Instructions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water. Look for: The pasta is firm to the bite and cool to the touch after rinsing.
2. Combine pasta, olives, feta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and sun-dried tomatoes in a large bowl. Look for: The bowl is colorful, with ingredients spread evenly through the pasta.
3. Drizzle with Italian dressing and toss to coat evenly. Look for: Every piece of pasta has a thin, glossy coat of dressing.
4. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to let flavors meld. Look for: The salad is cold, and the dressing has soaked into the pasta.
5. Taste and adjust seasoning. Top with extra feta and fresh oregano if desired. Look for: It tastes bright, salty and tangy, with no flat spots.

Nutrition

Amount per serving. Nutritional values are estimates calculated from the ingredients above and can vary.

• Calories: 210
• Fat: 11g
• Saturated Fat: 3g
• Carbohydrates: 22g
• Fiber: 2g
• Sugar: 5g
• Protein: 6g
• Sodium: 660mg
• Cholesterol: 10mg

Notes

• Make Ahead: This salad is actually better made a few hours ahead — the resting time lets the flavors meld, as noted in the recipe itself.
• Storage: Keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days, though the pasta keeps absorbing the dressing, so add a splash more olive oil before serving leftovers.
• Not for Freezing: Skip freezing this one — the vegetables and feta won't hold their texture.

Cook It With Me

Cook the pasta

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook the 12 oz of rotini according to the package directions, until al dente. Drain, then rinse the pasta under cold water until it is cool. This stops the cooking and rinses off the starch that makes pasta stick together.

Chop and combine

While the pasta cooks, halve the 1/2 cup of Kalamata olives, crumble the 1/2 cup of feta, halve the 1 cup of cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber and thinly slice the 1/4 red onion. Add the 1/3 cup of sun-dried tomatoes. Put everything in a large bowl with the cooled pasta.

Dress it

Drizzle the 1/2 cup of Italian dressing over the salad and toss until everything is evenly coated. Use a large spoon and lift from the bottom, so the dressing reaches every piece.

Chill

Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. This is when the pasta takes up the dressing and the flavors blend.

Taste and finish

Taste the salad. If it seems flat, add a pinch of salt or a splash more dressing. Top with extra feta and a sprinkle of fresh oregano, if you like.

The Ingredients, One by One

Rotini

The spirals trap dressing and small pieces. Penne, fusilli or farfalle also work. Cook it just to al dente, because it will soften a little as it sits.

Kalamata olives

They are briny and slightly fruity. Pitted ones save time. Halve them so you get some in every bite.

Feta cheese

A block of feta in brine tastes better and crumbles more softly than the pre-crumbled kind. It is salty, so taste before adding extra salt.

Cherry tomatoes and cucumber

They add sweetness and crunch. If your cucumber is seedy, scoop out the seeds with a spoon, so the salad doesn’t get watery.

Red onion

It adds a sharp bite. If you find it too strong, soak the slices in cold water for 10 minutes, then drain.

Sun-dried tomatoes

They add a chewy texture and a concentrated, sweet-tart flavor. Oil-packed ones are the easiest to use. Chop large pieces.

Italian dressing

It is the seasoning for the whole salad. Choose one you like on its own. The oil and vinegar in it also keep the pasta from sticking.

The Technique Behind It

Why you rinse the pasta

For a hot dish, the starch on pasta helps sauce cling. For a cold salad, it makes the pasta sticky and clumpy. Rinsing in cold water stops the cooking and removes the surface starch.

Why you chill it

Pasta absorbs liquid as it sits. In the fridge, it takes up the dressing and the juices from the vegetables, and the flavors blend. A salad eaten right away tastes like separate ingredients.

Why you taste at the end

Cold temperatures dull flavor, and the pasta soaks up the dressing as it rests. A final taste lets you fix both with a pinch of salt or a splash of dressing.

Mistakes That Cost You the Dish

• Overcooking the pasta It turns mushy once it soaks up the dressing. Stop at al dente.
• Not rinsing the pasta It clumps together.
• Skipping the chill The flavors don’t blend and the pasta tastes plain.
• Dressing it too early for a long wait The pasta soaks it all up. Keep a splash to freshen it.
• Using seedy, watery cucumber The salad gets watery. Scoop out the seeds.

Fix It: If This Happens, Do This

Problem	Likely cause	Fix
Salad is dry	The pasta absorbed the dressing	Toss in a splash more dressing or a drizzle of olive oil.
Salad is bland	Chilling dulls flavor	Add a pinch of salt, a squeeze of lemon and more feta.
Pasta is clumpy	It wasn’t rinsed	Toss it with a splash of dressing and a little olive oil.
Salad is watery	Wet vegetables	Drain the tomatoes and cucumber, and scoop out the seeds.
Onion is too sharp	Raw red onion is strong	Soak the slices in cold water for 10 minutes.
Salad is too salty	Olives, feta and dressing	Add more pasta or vegetables to balance.

What Each Ingredient Does (and What You Can Swap)

Ingredient	Its job	Swap, and what changes
Rotini	Spirals that hold dressing	Penne, fusilli or farfalle work.
Kalamata olives	Briny, fruity flavor	Green olives work, with a different flavor.
Feta cheese	Tang and creaminess	Goat cheese or mozzarella pearls work.
Cherry tomatoes	Sweetness and juice	Grape tomatoes work well.
Cucumber	Cool crunch	Bell pepper works.
Red onion	A sharp bite	Green onions are milder.
Sun-dried tomatoes	Chewy, tangy flavor	Roasted red peppers work.
Italian dressing	The main seasoning	Greek vinaigrette or a lemon and olive oil dressing work.

Plan Ahead

• Make ahead: Make it up to a day ahead. It tastes better after a few hours.
• Fridge: Up to 3 days in an airtight container.
• Serving: Take it out of the fridge 10 minutes before serving, and refresh it with a splash of dressing.
• Freezer: Not recommended. The vegetables turn soft.

What to Serve With It

Serve it at picnics and barbecues, or pack it for lunch. It goes well with grilled chicken, grilled shrimp or sliced steak. Add chickpeas or cooked chicken to turn it into a full meal.

Questions People Ask

About the Author

Cressio Rinaldi

Cressio Rinaldi is the recipe developer behind Cressio Recipes. He cooks, tests, and writes every recipe on the site himself — refining each one until it's simple enough for a weeknight and good enough to make again. He's not a trained chef, just someone who cooks constantly and pays close attention to what actually makes a recipe work.