Greek Pasta Salad
Servings: 8
Ingredients
For the Pasta:
- kosher salt
- 12 ounces brown rice farfalle or other short cut pasta, such as penne
For the Sauce:
- 6 ounces feta in brine, drained, divided
- 2 tablespoons feta brine
- 1/3 cup avocado oil mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
To Assemble:
- 1½ cups diced English cucumbers (from about 2 Persian cucumbers)
- 1 cup diced red bell pepper (from about 1 large bell pepper)
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots (from about 1 large shallot)
- 1/2 cup roughly chopped pitted Kalamata olives
- 1/2 cup roughly chopped pitted castelvetrano olives
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced peppadew peppers
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced pepperoncini peppers
- 1 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh dill, plus more to garnish
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Cook the Pasta:
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt generously. Add the pasta and cook to al dente, according to package directions.
Make the Sauce:
- While the pasta cooks, make the sauce. In a wide mouth jar using an immersion blender, add four ounces of feta, feta brine, mayonnaise, lemon zest and juice, olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Blend until completely smooth. Season to taste. Set aside at room temperature until the pasta is done cooking.
Assemble the Salad:
- Once the pasta is cooked, reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water. Drain the pasta and immediately rinse the noodles under cold water to stop the cooking. Transfer the pasta to a large mixing bowl. Pour the prepared feta sauce over it, tossing vigorously to combine. If the pasta looks too dry, add about a tablespoon of pasta water at a time, tossing, until the noodles are coated and glossy.
- Add the cucumbers, bell peppers, shallots, Kalamata olives, castelvetrano olives, peppadew peppers, pepperoncini, parsley, dill, and black pepper. Toss to combine. Season to taste.
- Garnish with the remaining feta crumbles and more dill. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 364kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 631mg | Potassium: 227mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1674IU | Vitamin C: 43mg | Calcium: 171mg | Iron: 1mg