About this pasta salad
This is the pasta salad I make all summer long. Cold pasta tossed with crunchy cucumbers, tomatoes, kalamata olives, fresh mint, and a zesty lemon oregano dressing that ties everything together. It tastes better as it sits, which makes it ideal for picnics, potlucks, or packing for lunch the next day.
Ingredients
- Pasta: short pasta like shells, farfalle, or penne works best.
- Cucumber: English cucumbers have fewer seeds, or use small ones that don’t need peeling.
- Scallions: or red onion. If the onion is too strong, rinse it with cold water.
- Tomatoes: diced tomatoes or halved cherry tomatoes. I’ve also made this with roasted cherry tomatoes, which is fantastic.
- Fresh mint or spearmint leaves.
- Kalamata olives
- Lemon oregano dressing: lemon juice, olive oil, dried oregano, salt, and pepper.
How to make it
- Cook the pasta according to the package. Drain and rinse with cold water so it stops cooking.
- While the pasta cooks, chop the vegetables and put everything in a large salad bowl.
- Make the dressing. I use a jar because it’s easier to measure and shake everything together.
- Toss the cold pasta with the vegetables and dressing. Mix gently and taste for salt.
Make it your own
This salad is perfect to finish with chickpeas and crumbled feta cheese (vegan or regular, you decide). For more greens, toss in some spinach, arugula, or chopped romaine. Artichoke hearts, sundried tomatoes, or sliced mushrooms are also great additions.
Mediterranean Pasta Salad with Lemon Oregano Dressing
Equipment
- Large pot
- Salad bowl
Ingredients
- 8 oz short pasta shells, farfalle, or penne
- 1 large English cucumber diced
- 4 scallions white and green part, sliced
- 2 medium tomatoes diced (or 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes)
- ¼ cup fresh mint leaves sliced thin
- ½ cup kalamata olives pitted and chopped
- ½ cup chickpeas drained (optional)
- Crumbled feta cheese vegan or regular (optional)
Lemon oregano dressing:
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice about 1 lemon plus the zest
- 1 clove garlic crushed and minced
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the package. Drain and rinse with cold water until completely cool.
- Dice the cucumber, tomatoes, and scallions. Place in a large salad bowl with the olives and mint.
- Make the dressing: put the lemon juice, zest, garlic, olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper in a jar. Shake until combined.
- Add the cold pasta to the bowl with the vegetables. Pour the dressing over and toss gently until everything is coated.
- Taste for salt. Finish with chickpeas and crumbled feta if using.
Notes
- This salad gets better as it sits. Make it an hour ahead if you can.
- Store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Add a splash of olive oil and lemon if it seems dry the next day.
- For a heartier version, add chickpeas and feta (vegan or regular). Roasted cherry tomatoes are a great swap for fresh if you want deeper flavor.
- If using red onion instead of scallions, rinse it under cold water first to mellow the bite.
Nutrition
information
Nutritional information of this recipe is only an estimate, the accuracy for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Hi, I’m Ale Graf!
I’m a Mexican home cook based in Texas and the voice behind AleCooks and Piloncillo & Vainilla.
I create easy, family-friendly recipes with Mexican roots and a plant-forward mindset—always flexible and made to bring people together. I’m also the co-author of Yo Cocino Latino and love helping home cooks feel more confident in the kitchen.
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