Perfect Summer Pasta Salad

5.0(6)

My tweaked version of my mother-in-law's pasta salad. It's light and refreshing, perfect for a summer get-together or as a side at your next BBQ. I even like to add some leftover grilled chicken to the leftovers for an easy lunch.

by efeldpa·published 2010-06-17

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Pasta SaladsSalads

Servings

Total time

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prep 20 min

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Ingredients (15)

serves

FOR THE DRESSING:
¾ cups Extra Virgin Olive Oilextra-virgin-olive-oil
½ cups Sugarsugar
1 Tablespoon Dried Parsleyparsley
1 Tablespoon Black Pepperpepper
1 Tablespoon Garlic Powdergarlic-powder
¾ Tablespoons Saltsalt
FOR THE SALAD:
1 pound Pasta, Cooked (any Short Cut)
½ cups Cherry Tomatoes, Halved Or Quarteredcherry-tomato
½ cups Cucumbers, Dicedcucumber
½ cups Carrots, Dicedcarrot
3 whole Green Onionsscallion
½ cans (5 Oz. Can) Crumbled Feta Cheesefeta
¾ cups Red Wine Or White Vinegar Or Combo Of Both

Instructions (4 steps)

01Combine the dressing ingredients in a lidded jar and shake to combine thoroughly. I typically use about half red wine vinegar and half white vinegar, more red wine lends a more strong flavor. I like to make the dressing the night before so the flavors can meld. Store it in the fridge then take it out about a half hour before you want to use it so the olive oil will re-liquefy.

Cook pasta according to package directions. While the pasta is cooking, uniformly dice all your veggies. The ones listed on the ingredient list are my go-to ones, but bell peppers, peas, asparagus, etc. would all be good. Once the pasta is cooked, drain it and run cold water over it to stop the cooking process.

03Add cooked pasta and veggies to a large bowl. Shake up your dressing one more time and add about 2/3 of it. Stir up the salad and add more dressing or veggies as you see fit. Taste and adjust seasonings. Lastly, toss in your feta cheese. It’s best to let the salad sit for a few hours or overnight in the fridge.

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