Easy Greek Pasta Salad

In my world, pasta salad is a year-round craving. It's so easy to make, stores well in the fridge and is a tasty way to get in a ton of veggies.

My Veggie-Packed Pasta Salad is a favorite, so I decided to keep that same goodness with a bit of a Greek twist. I've discovered a newfound love for feta, so perhaps I'm just looking for any way to sneak it into meals as well?

The base of this recipe, of course, is pasta. You can always use whatever you have in your pantry at the moment or a brand that you love best. For a gluten-free option that doesn't compromise on texture, I personally love Jovial Foods brown rice pasta.

The ingredients are simple, and this serves as a great source of complex carbs to keep you fueled and incorporate into nourishing, balanced meals.

For some extra veggie-goodness, I love the combination of cucumber, cherry tomatoes, bell pepper and red onion. It's the perfect balance of crunch and texture that you need in a good pasta salad.

Parsley and feta add extra freshness, flavor and creaminess, so you definitely won't want to overlook these ingredients.

Finally, mix it all up with an easy Greek Vinaigrette, and that's it!

I love serving this with a protein like grilled chicken, salmon or steak to create a well-balanced, satiating meal, but you can always enjoy this pasta salad as a plant-based main course.

Hope y'all enjoy!

 Yields 6-8 servings

Ingredients

• Box of pasta or choice - I've been loving the Jovial Foods brown rice pasta
• 2 cups cucumber, cut into half moons
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 red bell pepper, diced 
• 1/2 cup red onion, diced
• 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
• 1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/2 cup feta, crumbled

Greek Vinaigrette

• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 generous tbsp dijon mustard
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• salt & black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Allow pasta to cool.

2. Add cucumber, tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, olives and parsley to a large bowl.

3. Whisk all of the vinaigrette ingredients together in a small bowl.

4. Add pasta to the bowl with your veggies.

5. Pour in the Greek Vinaigrette and toss to coat pasta and veggies completely.

6. Add in crumbled feta, and toss lightly.

7. Serve, and enjoy!