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Fresh Cucumber Pasta Salad

Fresh cucumber pasta salad with farfalle and crisp cucumber coins in a light dill-lemon vinaigrette. Al dente pasta gets rinsed and cooled for a crisp, cool pasta salad texture before a quick 30-minute chill.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Chilling 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 320
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta salad
  • 12 oz farfalle (bow tie) pasta
  • 2 English cucumbers halved and sliced
  • 0.5 red onion thinly sliced
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
  • 0.25 cup fresh dill chopped
Dressing
  • 0.33 cup olive oil
  • 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard Note: measured as Dijon mustard
  • 1 garlic minced
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Cook and cool the pasta
  1. Bring a pot of water to a boil, then cook farfalle until al dente (about 8-10 minutes). Drain and rinse with cold water, then cool completely until no longer warm.
Make the dill-lemon vinaigrette
  1. Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt, and black pepper together until smooth and combined.
Assemble and chill
  1. Combine cooled pasta with English cucumbers, red onion, cherry tomatoes, and fresh dill in a serving bowl. Toss until the vegetables are evenly distributed.
  2. Pour the dressing over the pasta salad, then toss thoroughly to coat every piece. Stop when the pasta looks lightly glossy from the vinaigrette.
  3. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to chill and let flavors meld. After chilling, toss again before serving so the cucumbers and tomatoes stay evenly coated.

Notes

Pro tip: rinse the pasta under cold water until cool to keep it crisp rather than clumping while you add cucumbers and tomatoes. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; toss once more after cooling for best coating. Freezing is not recommended for this cucumber-forward salad. For a lighter option, use low-sodium salt or reduce the salt to taste and keep the honey amount the same so the vinaigrette still balances the lemon.