Description
Nagi’s Big, Easy Pasta Salad is a vibrant and flavorful dish featuring bow tie pasta tossed with fresh cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, Kalamata olives, and Greek feta. The salad is dressed with a zesty mix of apple cider vinegar, olive oil, garlic, Dijon mustard, and honey, enhanced by Italian herbs. Perfect for quick meal prep or serving guests, this pasta salad is best enjoyed when the hot pasta is tossed in the dressing to absorb maximum flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Vegetables
- 500g (1 lb) bow tie pasta (farfalle), or other short/medium pasta
- 2 cucumbers, halved lengthways and finely sliced (~17cm/7″ long, sliced 2mm / 1/16″)
- 3 cups (500g) cherry or grape tomatoes, halved (or 4 regular tomatoes chopped)
- 1/3 cup roughly chopped Kalamata olives (or 3/4 cup whole pitted or 1/2 cup sliced, then chopped)
- 200g (7oz) Greek feta, cut into 6mm (1/4″) batons
- 1 packed cup basil leaves, torn by hand
Dressing
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard (optional)
- 2 tsp honey (or substitute with maple syrup or 1 tsp sugar)
- 1 1/2 tsp Italian herbs mix
- 3/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the bow tie pasta. Cook according to the package instructions until al dente, about 12-15 minutes. Drain the pasta and immediately transfer it to a large mixing bowl.
- Prepare the Vegetables: While the pasta is cooking, slice the cucumbers thinly, halve the cherry tomatoes, chop the Kalamata olives roughly, and cut the feta into batons. Tear the basil leaves by hand and set aside.
- Make the Dressing: In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, honey, Italian herbs mix, salt, and black pepper until well combined.
- Toss Pasta with Dressing: Pour the dressing over the hot, freshly cooked pasta and toss thoroughly to coat. The warmth of the pasta will help it absorb the flavors better, enhancing the taste of the salad.
- Add Vegetables and Cheese: Add the sliced cucumbers, halved tomatoes, chopped olives, crumbled feta, and torn basil leaves to the pasta. Gently toss everything together to combine evenly.
- Serve or Chill: Serve the pasta salad immediately for best flavor, or chill it in the refrigerator for an hour to allow the flavors to meld further. Stir gently before serving.
Notes
- This is a big-batch pasta salad designed for quick preparation and guest-serving occasions.
- Tossing the hot pasta directly in the dressing lets it absorb maximum flavor.
- The recipe features a minimal ingredient list focusing on fresh, simple flavors; no need for extra add-ins.
- To save time, chop the vegetables and make the dressing while the pasta cooks, reducing active prep time to about 15 minutes.
- Dijon mustard can be omitted if desired; honey may be substituted with maple syrup or a small amount of sugar.
- Basil can be replaced with other fresh herbs like parsley or mint if preferred.
- Use a mandoline for thin cucumber slices to achieve the best texture and appearance.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 617 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 915 mg
- Fat: 29 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 19 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 72 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 17 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
