This pasta salad with herbs and feta is whole grain fusilli tossed with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, olives, cubes of feta and lots of fresh basil and parsley, in a simple lemon and olive oil dressing. It’s a fresh, Mediterranean-style salad that’s easy to make ahead for lunches, picnics and barbecues. It takes about 25 minutes, serves 4 as a main or 6 to 8 as a side, and provides about 8 g of fiber per main portion thanks to the whole grain pasta. No mayonnaise is needed.
- Serves: 4 as a main, or 6 to 8 as a side
- Prep time: 15 minutes
- Cook time: 10 to 12 minutes
- Total time: about 25 minutes, plus cooling
Ingredients
- 250 g (9 oz) dried whole grain fusilli or other short pasta, about 600 g cooked
- 200 g (1⅓ cups) cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ large cucumber (about 150 g), diced
- ¼ red onion (about 40 g), very thinly sliced
- 40 g (about 12) Kalamata or black olives, halved
- 120 g (4 oz) feta, cut into small cubes
- A large handful each of basil and parsley (about 10 g each), chopped
Lemon dressing
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- Juice of 1 lemon (about 20 ml), plus a little zest
- 1 small garlic clove, grated
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- A pinch of salt and black pepper
Method
- Cook the pasta in a large pan of boiling water for 1 minute less than the packet suggests, so it stays firm. Use just a little salt in the water, as the feta and olives are salty.
- Drain the pasta and rinse under cold running water to stop it cooking and cool it quickly. Shake off the excess water.
- Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a large bowl.
- Add the red onion to the dressing and leave for 5 minutes to soften its bite.
- Add the cooled pasta and toss well, so it absorbs the dressing.
- Add the tomatoes, cucumber, olives and most of the herbs and toss again.
- Fold in the feta gently and scatter with the remaining herbs.
- Serve straight away, or chill for up to 4 hours. Toss again before serving and add a squeeze of lemon if it needs freshening.
Tips
- Cook pasta al dente. Soft pasta turns mushy in a salad.
- Rinse and cool it quickly, which keeps it from sticking together.
- Dress the pasta while it’s slightly warm, if you have time, so it soaks up more flavor.
- Add herbs at the end so they stay bright.
- Make extra dressing: pasta absorbs it as it stands, so keep a little back to add before serving.
Swaps and variations
- Protein: add chickpeas, white beans, grilled chicken, tuna or salmon to make it more filling.
- Vegetables: add roasted peppers, artichoke hearts, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes or grilled zucchini.
- Pesto pasta salad: replace the dressing with 3 tablespoons of basil pesto loosened with lemon juice.
- Gluten-free: use gluten-free or legume-based pasta.
- Vegan: skip the feta or use a plant-based alternative, and add extra olives and beans.
- Lower salt: use half the feta and olives and add more herbs and lemon.
Nutrition per serving (estimate)
One serving is a quarter of the recipe, as a main. These figures were calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for cooked whole grain pasta, feta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, ripe olives, basil, parsley, olive oil, lemon juice and salt.
| Nutrient | Per serving |
|---|---|
| Calories | 415 kcal |
| Protein | 14 g |
| Carbohydrate | 54 g |
| Fiber | 8 g |
| Sugars | 4 g |
| Fat | 17 g |
| Saturated fat | 5.5 g |
| Sodium | 525 mg |
Whole grain pasta has more than twice the fiber of white pasta, as our article on whether pasta is healthy explains. Olive oil and olives provide mostly monounsaturated fat. Most of the sodium comes from the feta and olives. Adults are advised to have no more than 6 g of salt a day, according to the NHS, so the lower-salt tip above is worth trying if you’re watching your intake. As a side, one portion has about 210 to 275 calories.
Contains: wheat (gluten) and milk (feta).
Food safety for picnics and lunches
Cooked pasta and dressed salads need to be kept cold. Refrigerate the salad within 2 hours of making it, and don’t leave it out for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour on a hot day, as the USDA advises. For picnics and lunchboxes, pack it with an ice pack in an insulated bag.
Storage
Store in a covered container in the fridge and eat within 2 to 3 days. The pasta will soak up the dressing, so add a splash of olive oil and lemon juice before serving. Add fresh herbs on the day you eat it.
Common questions
Can I make pasta salad the day before?
Yes. Keep the herbs and a little dressing separate, and add them just before serving.
Should I rinse pasta for pasta salad?
Yes. Rinsing cools it quickly and removes surface starch, so the pasta doesn’t clump.
Which pasta shape is best?
Short shapes with ridges or twists, such as fusilli, penne, farfalle or orecchiette, hold the dressing well.
This article is general information, not medical advice. Nutrition figures are estimates from USDA FoodData Central and will change with the brands and amounts you use. If you follow a diet for a medical reason, check the recipe with your doctor or dietitian.
