Ina Garten was the inspiration for this salad. She did an episode on making pasta in three different ways. This Greek pasta salad caught my eye. I wanted to make it with a couple of changes. What’s cool about this recipe is that in the time it takes to cook the pasta, you can have all the veggies chopped and the salad dressing made. This is my Greek Pasta Salad With A Sun-dried Tomato Vinaigrette.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 to 12 minutes
Total Time: 22 minutes
Yields: 6 servings
Equipment: 1 (6-quart) saucepot, colander, large mixing bowl, large serving bowl, mini food processor, chef’s knife, cutting board

Ingredients for the Sun-dried Tomato Vinaigrette:
2 tablespoons of capers, drained
2 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
8 sun-dried tomatoes, drained (packed in oil)
1 tablespoon of Agave nectar
1 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup of *E.V.O.O.
1 teaspoon of Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper, freshly-ground
*E.V.O.O.
Garnish:
1 sprig of fresh mint

Ingredients for the Greek Pasta Salad:
2 hothouse English cucumbers, diced into 1-inch chunks
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced into half-moons and quartered
2 pints of grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup of Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
10 ounces of good Greek Feta, diced into 1-inch cubes
1 pound of fusilli pasta, cooked, rinsed until cold, and drained
2 tablespoons of fresh mint leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons of Italian flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 teaspoon of dried oregano
1 1/2 tablespoons of Kosher salt
1 teaspoon of black pepper, freshly-ground

Instructions for the Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette:
Add the sun-dried tomatoes, capers, and garlic to a food processor. Pulse until they are finely minced. Next, add in the red wine vinegar, lemon juice, Kosher salt, black pepper, and Agave nectar. Pulse the ingredients to combine. Transfer to a small mixing bowl. Slowly drizzle in the *E.V.O.O whisking until the dressing comes together.

Instructions for the Greek Pasta Salad:
In a large mixing bowl, place all the diced vegetables, dried oregano, finely chopped fresh mint, and finely chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley. To the vegetables, add the well-drained, cooked pasta. Pour in half of the sun-dried tomato vinaigrette and stir through. This gives the hot pasta a chance to absorb those flavors. Finally, add in the cubed Feta, freshly chopped herbs, and remaining dressing. Gently toss the diced Feta (to keep its integrity) and herbs through until all the ingredients are well combined.

Serve the salad at room temperature or chill it in the fridge and serve it cold. Garnish with a sprig of mint.

There you have it, my Greek Pasta Salad With A Sun-dried Tomato Vinaigrette.

Notes:
1) *E.V.O.O. is the acronym for Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

2) Linda Lou Hamel is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value are important to you, I recommend running the ingredients through the online nutritional calculator of your choice. Calories and values can vary depending on the brands you choose.

https://lindalouhamel.com/2019/07/10/summer-time-flowers-and-herbs/