We love pasta salads around here! They’re filling and delicious and perfect with nearly any main dish. This Mediterranean pasta salad does not disappoint. It packs so much flavor into each and every bite.
There is nothing bland or boring about this side dish – the peppery taste of the fresh arugula, the salty appeal of the Kalamata olives, feta cheese, and the scrumptious preserved lemons. YUM!
Mediterranean Pasta Salad
Its strong flavors aren’t overwhelming because they are balanced beautifully by the addition of penne pasta and fresh herbs. This hearty and robust salad has enough presence to serve as a light, yet satisfying, main course – or it can act as the perfect complement to more neutral dishes, like grilled chicken breast or a mild white fish.
We especially love this dish with our orange roughy with oven roasted tomatoes!
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Ingredients:
1 pound penne pasta, cooked according to package directions and cooled
Vinaigrette:
- ¾ c. extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ c. white balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
- salt and pepper, to taste
Other Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced.
- 1 large or 2 medium tomatoes, washed and chopped, seeds and excess liquid removed
- 12-15 large fresh basil leaves, washed, dried and cut into thin strips
- 2 tsp fresh oregano, stems removed and chopped
- ½ c. Kalamata olives
- ¼ red onion, thinly sliced
- ½ c. fresh or preserved organic lemon, chopped into small chunks with rinds
- 2 c. fresh arugula
- 2 tbsp Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, freshly grated
- 3 oz. block feta cheese, cut into equal sized chunks
NOTE: You can use fresh or preserved lemons to make this recipe. I recommend trying the preserved lemons because they add more intense flavor. You can either buy a container of preserved lemons or easily make your own with Himalayan salt blocks. A word of caution, however, if you use preserved lemons, taste before adding additional salt.
Directions
To make the vinaigrette, whisk the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, and mustard together in a small bowl until blended smooth. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Add olive oil and garlic to a cold pan and set heat to medium high. Sauté for approximately 2 minutes before adding chopped tomato. Cook for 3 minutes or until the tomato softens. Remove from heat.
In a large bowl, combine the cooked tomato and garlic mixture with the basil, oregano, olives, red onion and preserved lemons. Add the cooked pasta, arugula and both types of cheese. Finally, add the vinaigrette and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Mediterranean Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1 pound penne pasta cooked according to package directions and cooled
Vinaigrette:
- ¾ c.
extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup white balsamic vinegar
2
tbsp fresh lemon juice- salt and pepper to taste
Other Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic
peeled and minced.
- 1 large
tomato
washed and chopped, seeds and excess liquid removed - 12-15 large fresh basil leaves washed, dried and cut into thin strips
- 2 tsp fresh oregano stems removed and chopped
- ½ c. Kalamata olives
- ¼ red onion thinly sliced
- ½ c. fresh or preserved organic lemon chopped into small chunks with rinds
- 2 c. fresh arugula
- 2 tbsp Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
freshly grated
- 3 oz feta cheese cut into equal sized chunks
Instructions
- To make the vinaigrette, whisk the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, and mustard together in a small bowl until blended smooth. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Add olive oil and garlic to a cold pan and set heat to medium high. Sauté for approximately 2 minutes before adding chopped tomato. Cook for 3 minutes or until the tomato softens. Remove from heat.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked tomato and garlic mixture with the basil, oregano, olives, red onion and preserved lemons. Add the cooked pasta, arugula and both types of cheese. Finally, add the vinaigrette and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
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