Bow Tie Pasta Salad (Printable Version)
Vibrant bow tie pasta with crisp vegetables and zesty Italian dressing, ideal for picnics and potlucks.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 oz bow tie (farfalle) pasta
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
04 - 1 cup red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
06 - 1/2 cup black olives, sliced
07 - 1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped
→ Cheese
08 - 3/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
→ Dressing
09 - 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
10 - 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
11 - 1 clove garlic, minced
12 - 1 tsp dried oregano
13 - 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
14 - 1/2 tsp salt
15 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
# Directions:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook bow tie pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold running water to halt cooking and cool completely.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, toss together the cooled pasta, halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, diced red bell pepper, thinly sliced red onion, sliced black olives, and chopped fresh parsley.
03 - In a small bowl or mason jar, whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, dried oregano, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper until fully emulsified and smooth.
04 - Pour the prepared dressing over the pasta and vegetable mixture. Toss thoroughly to ensure even coating throughout.
05 - Gently fold in the crumbled feta cheese, taking care not to break apart the pieces excessively.
06 - Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and develop.
07 - Give the salad a final toss before serving. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt or pepper as needed.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The dressing comes together with pantry staples you probably already have, and it tastes better than any bottled Italian vinaigrette I have ever tried.
- It holds up beautifully in the fridge for days, making it one of those rare salads that actually improves overnight.
02 -
- Rinsing the pasta is essential here because leftover starch creates a gummy coating that prevents the dressing from adhering properly.
- Do not skip the chilling step because the transformation in flavor from zero to thirty minutes in the fridge is remarkable.
03 -
- Dice all your vegetables to roughly the same size as the pasta so every bite feels balanced instead of dominated by one ingredient.
- Make the dressing up to three days ahead and keep it in a jar in the fridge to save time on the day you need it.