This salad can be as easy or as complex as you would like it to be. Personally, I go for the easy method! LOL! Break out your favorite vinaigrette salad dressing and you’re already halfway finished with the recipe!
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My favorite salad dressing is from Zoe’s Kitchen, it’s a Greek Dressing that has all the herbs, vinegar, and olive oil you need already mixed together. But really whatever your favorite vinaigrette is, will work just fine! There’s no need to invent something new unless you want to!
If you did want to make your own dressing here’s the recipe I use in my antipasto salad.
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil – since this will be eaten raw, I use a high-quality flavorful brand
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon dried sweet basil
- 1 clove garlic, I run it over a microplane to ensure it’s really fine
- 1 tbsp. dijon mustard
- salt and pepper – to your taste
- Simply whisk everything together to combine dressing ingredients. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Additional pasta salad add in’s you might want to consider!
- chopped bell peppers – they add color and texture
- fresh spinach – stems removed
- small bits of broccoli
- red onion – chopped small
- celery and /or carrot – chopped
- olives – any kind but I love kalamata
- fresh peas and/or corn
- salami – cut into bite-sized pieces
- pine nuts for crunch
Easy Peasy Pasta Salad
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 15 min
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4–6 sides 1x
- Category: Side Dish
Ingredients
- 1 package (24oz) of tortellini – cooked and water drained
- 2 Roma tomatoes – seeds removed and chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1 English cucumber – chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup feta cheese (or goat cheese or fresh mozzarella)
- 1 cup of your favorite vinaigrette salad dressing
Instructions
- In a large bowl toss together the pasta with all the prepped and chopped vegetables.
- Pour in the dressing and stir gently until everything is well coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour, stirring at least once. Note: be sure to do a taste test after it has marinated. It may need a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Before serving add cheese and toss lightly.
Notes
- Be sure to salt your water when cooking the pasta, don’t be afraid to use a little extra, it really brings out the flavor.
Make the salad when the pasta is still warm, the soft pasta will absorb the dressing more than cold pasta. This will really add to the flavor of the overall dish.
Keywords: Easy Peasy Pasta Salad with tomatoes, cucumber and feta cheese.
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