I absolutely fell in love with this Mediterranean pasta salad after bringing it to a summer potluck last year, and it’s been my go-to ever since! The combination of briny olives and tangy feta cheese mixed with perfectly cooked rotini makes every bite feel like a mini vacation to the Greek islands. Trust me, this is one of those recipes you’ll find yourself making on repeat all season long.
| Preparation Time | 20-30 minutes |
| Cooking Time | 10-15 minutes |
| Total Time | 30-45 minutes |
| Level of Difficulty | Easy |
| Servings | 7 servings |
Estimated Nutrition
Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):
- Calories: 1800-2100
- Protein: 35-45 g
- Fat: 125-145 g
- Carbohydrates: 165-185 g
Ingredients
For the pasta salad:
- 12 oz rotini pasta
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 1/4 cups English cucumber, diced
- 1/3 cup red onion, finely diced
- 1 cup fresh baby spinach
- 1/2 cup sliced green olives
- 1/2 cup sliced black olives
- 2/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
- salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
For the dressing:
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp honey
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Step 1: Cook and Cool the Pasta
- 12 oz rotini pasta
- salt for pasta water
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the rotini pasta, cooking until al dente (firm to the bite, usually 8-10 minutes).
Drain the pasta thoroughly and rinse it under cold running water until completely cooled, tossing gently to ensure even cooling.
This stops the cooking process and prevents the pasta from becoming mushy.
Set aside in a large bowl.
Step 2: Prepare the Vinaigrette Dressing
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp honey
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
In a small jar or bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, and fresh lemon juice as your base.
Add the minced garlic, Dijon mustard, and honey, then season with the dried oregano, dried thyme, salt, and black pepper.
Whisk vigorously until emulsified and well combined.
I like to use a jar with a tight-fitting lid so I can shake everything together—it creates a more cohesive dressing and the jar doubles as a storage container later.
Step 3: Prepare Fresh Vegetables
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1 1/4 cups English cucumber
- 1/3 cup red onion
- 1/2 cup sliced green olives
- 1/2 cup sliced black olives
- 1 cup fresh baby spinach
While the pasta cools or the dressing is being made, prepare all your fresh vegetables: halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the English cucumber into bite-sized pieces, finely dice the red onion, slice both the green and black olives, and measure out the fresh baby spinach.
Doing all your prep work at once keeps the assembly smooth and ensures nothing gets forgotten.
Step 4: Assemble and Dress the Salad
- cooked pasta from Step 1
- vinaigrette from Step 2
- prepared vegetables from Step 3
Pour the prepared dressing over the cooled pasta and toss well to coat every piece.
Add the prepared cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, spinach, and both green and black olives, then toss everything together until evenly combined.
I find it's best to dress the pasta first before adding the delicate ingredients like spinach—this way the pasta gets maximum flavor and the spinach stays fresher and doesn't get too saturated.
Step 5: Finish with Feta and Season
- 2/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
- salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
Gently fold in the crumbled feta cheese, being careful not to overmix and break it into tiny pieces.
Taste the salad and adjust seasoning with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed.
Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 24 hours—the flavors actually deepen as it sits, making it perfect for make-ahead meals.
Healthy Mediterranean Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Method
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the rotini pasta, cooking until al dente (firm to the bite, usually 8-10 minutes). Drain the pasta thoroughly and rinse it under cold running water until completely cooled, tossing gently to ensure even cooling. This stops the cooking process and prevents the pasta from becoming mushy. Set aside in a large bowl.
- In a small jar or bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, and fresh lemon juice as your base. Add the minced garlic, Dijon mustard, and honey, then season with the dried oregano, dried thyme, salt, and black pepper. Whisk vigorously until emulsified and well combined. I like to use a jar with a tight-fitting lid so I can shake everything together—it creates a more cohesive dressing and the jar doubles as a storage container later.
- While the pasta cools or the dressing is being made, prepare all your fresh vegetables: halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the English cucumber into bite-sized pieces, finely dice the red onion, slice both the green and black olives, and measure out the fresh baby spinach. Doing all your prep work at once keeps the assembly smooth and ensures nothing gets forgotten.
- Pour the prepared dressing over the cooled pasta and toss well to coat every piece. Add the prepared cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, spinach, and both green and black olives, then toss everything together until evenly combined. I find it's best to dress the pasta first before adding the delicate ingredients like spinach—this way the pasta gets maximum flavor and the spinach stays fresher and doesn't get too saturated.
- Gently fold in the crumbled feta cheese, being careful not to overmix and break it into tiny pieces. Taste the salad and adjust seasoning with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 24 hours—the flavors actually deepen as it sits, making it perfect for make-ahead meals.