Description
This Easy Italian Pasta Salad is a vibrant, refreshing dish perfect for quick lunches, potlucks, or side dishes. Featuring tricolor rotini pasta tossed with crisp cucumber, sweet cherry tomatoes, tangy feta cheese, savory black olives, and a zesty Italian dressing, this salad combines colorful fresh ingredients for a flavorful, crowd-pleasing meal. Ready in just 15 minutes, it’s ideal for summer gatherings or any occasion that calls for a light, tasty pasta salad.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad Ingredients
- 1 box (12 oz) tricolor rotini pasta
- 1 cup chopped cucumber (peeled and seeded, about 1 medium cucumber)
- 1 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes
- 1/4 cup finely diced red onion
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 can (2.25 oz) sliced black olives, drained
Dressing
- 1/2 – 1 cup Italian salad dressing (to taste)
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the tricolor rotini pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool the noodles.
- Prepare the Vegetables: While the pasta cooks, peel and seed the cucumber then chop it into bite-sized pieces. Halve the cherry or grape tomatoes and finely dice the red onion.
- Mix the Salad: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta, chopped cucumber, halved tomatoes, crumbled feta cheese, sliced black olives, and diced red onion.
- Add the Dressing: Pour 1/2 cup of Italian salad dressing over the salad. Toss thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly coated. Taste the salad and gradually add up to an additional 1/2 cup of dressing to reach your preferred flavor and consistency.
- Chill and Serve: While the salad can be served immediately, refrigerate for 1-2 hours to allow flavors to meld. Before serving, toss again and add more dressing if desired, since the pasta absorbs some dressing while chilling.
Notes
- For best texture, rinse pasta under cold water to prevent it from becoming mushy.
- Adjust the amount of Italian dressing based on your taste preference for more tang or creaminess.
- Feel free to add fresh herbs like basil or parsley for extra flavor.
- This salad stores well in the fridge for up to 2 days; add dressing fresh before serving.
- Use gluten-free rotini pasta to make this recipe gluten-free.
