This easy Greek pasta salad is bright and sunny with a delicious combination of al dente pasta, tons of fresh Mediterranean vegetables, briny olives, creamy avocado, and tangy feta, all in a zesty lemon-olive oil dressing! A crowd-pleasing addition to picnics, BBQs, potlucks, and mid-week meals!
7.9ozcooked bow tie pasta1.5 cups; OR another short-shaped pasta (fusilli, penne, rotini, etc.); use gluten-free or grain-free if preferred, though cooking times will vary.
12.3oztomatoes2 medium or same weight of cherry/grape tomatoes
Fill a large saucepan with liberally salted water and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat.
Once boiling, add the pasta and allow it to cook for one minute less than the packaging recommends (usually around 8 minutes).You want the pasta to be al dente for the cold pasta salad, so it’s important not to overcook it,
When the bow tie pasta is ready, drain it immediately and place it under running cold water or in a cold water ‘bath’ to halt the cooking process and quickly cool it down.Some people prefer not to rinse the pasta, as it washes away starches that help it cling to the dressing. The alternative recommendation would be to quickly strain it, add a spoonful of oil to stop it from sticking, then spread the pasta across a wide surface like an oven tray to help it cool down quickly.
Step 2: Prepare the Ingredients
Meanwhile, as the pasta cooks, finely chop all the vegetables and transfer them to a large serving bowl.
Mince the garlic, juice the lemon, and combine the two plus the olive oil and salt and pepper in a small bowl or jar and whisk (or shake if in a jar).
Step 3: Assemble the Pasta Salad
Once the pasta is cool, transfer it to the bowl with the vegetables. Top that off with the dressing and toss to combine.
Chill the veggie pasta salad in the refrigerator for two hours before serving- enjoy!
Notes
Use enough water: When cooking the pasta, the size of the saucepan matters. It needs to hold all the pasta covered with several inches of water to account for expansion. If you don’t use enough water, the pasta can become sticky and/or mushy.
Salt the pasta water: It should taste like the ocean! This will help to infuse the pasta with more flavor. Otherwise, you could use vegetable stock instead of water.
Use al dente pasta: To avoid mushy, sticky results.
To save time: If you have a food chopper, it will make quick work of the veggie prep.
Adjust the feta: Feta has a salty, robust flavor. Some prefer just hints throughout the veggie pasta salad, and others want it feta-heavy. Adjust the amount to your liking.
Mellow the onion: If you aren’t a fan of the harsh raw onion flavor, soak the chopped onions in ice water for 10 minutes.
Can You Make It Ahead?There are several ways to do this. Firstly, the pasta can be cooked up to three days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Likewise, the vegetables (except the avocado) can be pre-chopped and stored in separate containers for 2-3 days in the fridge. Meanwhile, the dressing can be made 5 days in advance (more without the fresh garlic).I’m also a big fan of assembling the entire bowtie pasta salad a day in advance. This allows the flavors to mingle and meld, so it tastes even better on day two.Check the blog post for serving recommendations, optional add-ins, and more!