Mediterranean Pasta Salad with Lemon Oregano Dressing
Cold pasta salad with kalamata olives, cucumber, tomatoes, fresh mint, and a bright lemon oregano dressing. Takes 20 minutes and gets better as it sits. Perfect for picnics, potlucks, or packing for lunch.
6 people
Calories: 316kcal
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
Calories: 316kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Sodium: 570mg | Potassium: 294mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 509IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 1mg