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Mediterranean Pasta Salad

Mediterranean pasta salad with Greek pasta flavors—roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, kalamata olives, feta, and cherry tomatoes tossed in a bright lemon-oregano dressing. This lemon herb pasta salad is cooled and chilled for a vibrant, herb-rich texture that’s great as a healthy pasta salad side.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
chilling 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta salad base
  • 1 lb penne or rotini
  • 1 cup roasted red peppers, sliced
  • 1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts, quartered
  • 1 cup kalamata olives, halved
  • 4 oz feta cheese, crumbled
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 0.5 red onion, thinly sliced
  • 0.25 cup fresh parsley
Mediterranean dressing
  • 0.5 cup olive oil
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp Dijon
  • 0.5 salt
  • 0.5 black pepper

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Cook and cool the pasta
  1. Bring a Dutch oven of salted water to a boil and cook penne or rotini until al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Drain immediately and rinse cold under running water until cool.
  2. Spread the rinsed pasta on a sheet pan in a single layer to cool completely for 5-10 minutes, then let it stand at room temperature briefly.
Make the lemon-oregano dressing
  1. Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, garlic powder, and Dijon together until evenly combined. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
Assemble and chill
  1. Combine the cooled pasta with roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, kalamata olives, feta cheese, cherry tomatoes, and red onion in a large bowl. Toss gently to distribute the mix.
  2. Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and toss thoroughly until coated. Fold in fresh parsley.
  3. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to chill and let the flavors meld, keeping it covered. Serve cold after chilling.
Finish before serving
  1. Toss once more and adjust seasoning with additional salt, black pepper, or lemon juice as needed before serving. Serve immediately after final adjustments.

Notes

Pro tip: rinse the pasta thoroughly under cold water so it stays springy and doesn’t clump when dressed. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days; the salad can be frozen for up to 1 month, but feta and tomatoes may soften after thawing. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat feta and swap half the olive oil for an equal amount of extra-virgin olive oil plus a spoonful of additional lemon juice.