Equipment
Ingredients
Pasta Base
- 340 g fusilli pasta, dry
- 15 g salt
Mix-ins
- 250 g cherry tomatoes, halved
- 200 g english cucumber, diced
- 150 g red bell pepper, cored and diced
- 100 g kalamata olives, pitted and halved
- 50 g red onion, finely diced
- 120 g feta cheese, crumbled
Herb Vinaigrette
- 80 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 45 ml red wine vinegar
- 10 g dijon mustard
- 1 garlic, minced
- 2 g dried oregano
- 3 g salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly ground
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 427 kcal
- Protein
- 11 g
- Carbohydrates
- 50 g
- Fat
- 21 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 5 g
- Sodium
- 1541 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 5 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 12 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 18 mg
- Potassium
- 367 mg
- Calcium
- 148 mg
- Iron
- 3.7 mg
- Magnesium
- 50 mg
- Phosphorus
- 206 mg
- Zinc
- 1.7 mg
- Vitamin A
- 69 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 40 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.8 mg
- Vitamin K
- 18 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.3 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.57 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.44 mg
- Niacin
- 4.6 mg
- Folate
- 157 mcg
- Water
- 101 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rapid boil at 100 Celsius or 212 Fahrenheit. Add the fusilli pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente, usually about 9 to 11 minutes.
Drain the pasta in a colander and immediately rinse under cold running water to stop the cooking process and wash away excess surface starch. Drain very thoroughly.
In a small bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper until completely emulsified and smooth.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta, halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, bell pepper, kalamata olives, and red onion.
Pour the vinaigrette over the pasta and vegetables. Toss well to ensure every piece of pasta is coated. Gently fold in the crumbled feta cheese last to prevent it from turning into a paste.
Cover the bowl tightly and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving to allow the pasta to absorb the dressing and the flavors to meld.
Chef's Notes
- To tame the harsh bite of raw red onion, soak the diced onion in cold water for 10 minutes before draining and adding to the salad.
- Rinsing pasta is a cardinal sin for hot Italian pasta dishes, but it is mandatory for cold pasta salads. Rinsing stops the cooking process instantly and removes sticky surface starch, preventing the pasta from clumping into a solid block.
- Always choose a pasta shape with nooks and crannies like fusilli, radiatori, or farfalle. These shapes act like little scoops, capturing the vinaigrette, herbs, and tiny crumbles of cheese.
- Cold temperatures mute flavors. A pasta salad needs more salt, acid, and herbs than a hot dish of the same volume to taste properly seasoned once chilled.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container. The pasta will absorb the dressing over time, so you may need to refresh it with a splash of olive oil and vinegar before serving on days 3 or 4.
Troubleshooting
Pasta salad tastes bland or dry after sitting in the fridge
Cause: The cold pasta absorbed the dressing and muted the flavors as the starches retrograded
Fix: Toss with an extra splash of olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice or dash of vinegar, and a pinch of salt just before serving
Prevention: Reserve a small amount of vinaigrette to add just before eating, and heavily salt the pasta boiling water
Feta cheese has turned into a murky paste coating everything
Cause: Cheese was tossed too aggressively with the other ingredients
Fix: Cannot be fixed aesthetically, but will still taste fine
Prevention: Fold feta in gently at the very end, or sprinkle it on top just before serving
Pasta is tough and chewy
Cause: Pasta was cooked perfectly al dente for a hot dish, but starches hardened when chilled
Fix: Let the salad sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before eating to slightly soften the starches
Prevention: Cook pasta 1-2 minutes past the standard al dente time when using for a cold salad
Cultural Context
The modern pasta salad became a staple of American picnics and potlucks in the late 20th century, emerging as a creative way to combine inexpensive pantry staples with abundant summer produce. By drawing on the flavor profiles of the Mediterranean—using olive oil, pungent sheep's milk cheeses, and cured olives—it bridges the gap between old-world Italian sensibilities and the practical needs of the American lunchbox. Its enduring popularity stems from its absolute resilience in warm weather, unlike mayonnaise-based potato or macaroni salads.
