This rotini pasta salad with feta tosses spiral pasta with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and salty cheese in a garlicky red wine vinegar dressing.
Rotini hugs the dressing in every twist, and the vegetables stay crisp and cool. Make it for a barbecue, a lunch box, or a weeknight side that is ready after a short chill.
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Why This Rotini Pasta Salad with Feta Recipe Works
Rotini has tight spirals that catch the dressing and small bits of vegetable, so every forkful tastes balanced.
Rinsing the cooked pasta in cold water stops the cooking and keeps the noodles springy instead of soft.
A whisked dressing of olive oil, vinegar, garlic, and herbs coats the salad evenly and mellows as it chills.
Ingredients for Rotini Pasta Salad with Feta
- For the salad: twelve ounces rotini pasta, one cup halved cherry tomatoes, one cup diced cucumber, one half cup finely chopped red onion, and one cup crumbled feta cheese, plus optional diced bell pepper, canned beans, and sunflower seeds.
- For the dressing: one half cup olive oil, two tablespoons red wine vinegar, two cloves garlic, minced, one teaspoon Italian seasoning, one quarter teaspoon black pepper, and one teaspoon Dijon mustard, optional.
Rotini pasta. Cook it until al dente so it stays firm after chilling and soaking up the dressing.
Feta cheese. Crumbled feta brings salty, tangy flavor; mozzarella pearls work if you want a milder cheese.
Vegetables. Cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and red onion add juice, crunch, and sharpness against the soft pasta.
Olive oil and vinegar. The two form the dressing base, with the vinegar adding tang that keeps the oil from tasting heavy.
Garlic and Italian seasoning. Minced garlic and dried herbs give the dressing a savory, Mediterranean character.
How to Make Rotini Pasta Salad with Feta
1. Boil the pasta Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the rotini until al dente according to the package directions.
2. Cool the pasta Drain the pasta and rinse it under cold water until it is cool, which stops the cooking.
3. Combine the salad In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta with the tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, feta, and any optional add ins.
4. Whisk the dressing In a separate bowl, whisk the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, Italian seasoning, mustard if using, and pepper until blended.
5. Toss together Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until every piece of pasta is coated.
6. Chill Cover and refrigerate the salad for at least thirty minutes so the flavors meld and the pasta turns fully cold.
7. Serve cold Give the salad a final toss and serve it cold as a side dish or a light main meal.
How to Serve Rotini Pasta Salad with Feta
Serve the salad cold in a wide bowl and finish with a few extra feta crumbles. It makes a cool side for juicy cheeseburgers or grilled paprika chicken breast, and it pairs with homemade corn salsa and chips. Pour glasses of fresh peach lemonade to complete the picnic spread.
How to Store and Reheat Rotini Pasta Salad with Feta
Refrigerate the salad in an airtight container for up to three days, and stir before serving because the pasta absorbs some dressing. Keep it chilled and never leave it out for more than two hours, or one hour in hot weather. This salad is not suited to freezing, since the vegetables turn watery after thawing.
Tips and Variations for Rotini Pasta Salad with Feta
Flag the allergens. This salad contains wheat from the pasta and milk from the feta, and Dijon mustard is a mustard allergen, so label it clearly.
Rinse the pasta. Rinse until cool so the starch stops cooking and the pasta stays separate.
Salt the water. The feta is already salty, so season the pasta water but leave extra salt out of the dressing.
Dry the vegetables. Pat cucumber and tomatoes dry before adding them so the dressing does not turn watery.
Add protein. Rinsed canned beans or diced grilled chicken turn the salad into a filling lunch.
Add crunch. Toasted sunflower seeds add a nutty snap; scatter them on just before serving so they stay crisp.
Use leftover veggies. Olives, diced bell pepper, or shredded carrots from the fridge all fit the salad.
Check trusted guidance. Cold salads must stay chilled, so read the University of Illinois Extension picnic salad safety tips before packing it for a picnic.
Frequently Asked Questions About Rotini Pasta Salad with Feta
Can I make this rotini pasta salad with feta ahead?
Yes, make it a day ahead and refrigerate it, since the flavors improve overnight; add seeds just before serving.
How long does rotini pasta salad with feta last?
It keeps up to three days in the refrigerator in a covered container.
Can I turn rotini pasta salad with feta into a main dish?
Yes, add grilled chicken or rinsed beans, and the same dressing will coat the extra protein.
Can I use another pasta shape?
Any short pasta such as penne or bowtie works, but spirals hold dressing well.
Can I use mozzarella instead of feta?
Yes, small mozzarella balls give a milder, creamy bite, though you may want a pinch of salt.
Rotini Pasta Salad with Feta
Equipment
- Large pot
- Colander
- Large mixing bowl
- Whisk
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 12 oz rotini pasta
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 cup cucumber diced
- ½ cup red onion finely chopped
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
- ½ cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ½ cup bell pepper optional, diced
- 1 can beans optional, rinsed, about 15 oz, or use grilled chicken
- ¼ cup sunflower seeds optional
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard optional
Instructions
Cooking
- Cook the pasta. Boil the rotini in salted water until al dente, then drain and rinse with cold water.
- Combine. Toss the cooled pasta with the tomatoes, cucumber, onion, feta, and any optional add ins.
- Whisk the dressing. Whisk the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, Italian seasoning, pepper, and mustard if using.
- Toss. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat.
- Chill. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
- Serve. Serve cold.
