Description

Nagi’s Big, Easy Pasta Salad is a vibrant and flavorful dish featuring bow tie pasta, fresh cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, Kalamata olives, and creamy Greek feta. Tossed in a tangy apple cider vinegar and dijon mustard dressing with a hint of honey and Italian herbs, this salad is perfect for quick meals or guest gatherings. The secret to its robust flavor is mixing the hot pasta directly into the dressing, allowing it to absorb all the deliciousness.

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″ thick)
3 cups (500g) cherry or grape tomatoes, halved (or 4 regular tomatoes, chopped)
1/3 cup roughly chopped Kalamata olives (equivalent to 3/4 cup whole pitted or 1/2 cup sliced, then chopped)

Cheese and Herbs

200g (7 oz) 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 or kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

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Instructions

Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the bow tie pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta once cooked.
Prepare Vegetables: While pasta is cooking, halve and finely slice the cucumbers, halve the cherry tomatoes, and roughly chop the Kalamata olives. Tear the basil leaves by hand for freshness.
Make Dressing: In a bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, honey, Italian herbs, salt, and black pepper until well combined.
Toss Pasta in Dressing: Immediately after draining, while the pasta is still hot, transfer it to the bowl with the dressing. Toss thoroughly to ensure the pasta absorbs the flavors deeply.
Add Vegetables and Cheese: Add the cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, torn basil leaves, and feta cheese to the dressed pasta. Gently fold everything together until evenly combined.
Serve or Chill: The pasta salad can be served immediately, or chilled in the refrigerator for enhanced flavor. Stir before serving.

Notes

The trick to exceptional flavor is tossing the hot, freshly cooked pasta directly in the dressing, allowing the pasta to absorb all the delicious flavors.
This recipe is a great make-ahead salad; chopping vegetables and preparing the dressing while pasta cooks cuts down the active prep time to about 15 minutes.
Feel free to substitute the basil with mint or parsley if preferred.
For a vegan option, omit the feta cheese or replace it with a plant-based alternative.
The honey in the dressing can be swapped with maple syrup or a small amount of sugar as needed.

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