Summer = barbecue time! I know that meat (chicken, pork, beef and even fish) gets to be the star of the party but let us not forget to give salads due credit as they also play an important role. Here in Germany, the most common salad paired with grilled meat is ‘Kartoffelsalat’ or the German potato salad. It is not limited to grilled meat of course or to just summer, it is usually served at lunch or dinner all-year round with any roasted, grilled or fried meat. But we are not gonna talk about Kartoffelsalat in this post, not today. Today we will have Greek Pasta Salad! Why? Well first, because I like Greek pasta salad and second…I have to admit, I am a bit scared to make Kartoffelsalat ...yet;-) I’ve watched my mother-in-law prepare it several times now but the pressure of serving to Germans (a.k.a. my husband) my own creation of what is like a staple food to them…pressure!!! But I will try to summon my courage to try making it one of this days…
Now about Greek Pasta Salad, it is easier to make, I guess, and there is not so much pressure because Armin is not Greek. But aside from that, I also like the combination of rotini pasta with fresh and crisp veggies tossed with aromatic Greek salad dressing and of course let us not forget the tangy feta. Of course, other pasta noodles can be used like penne, bowtie, fusilli, cavatappi or any short (and curly) pasta you can get hold of. For added aesthetics, I used tri-color rotini in mine.
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Greek Pasta Salad
INGREDIENTS
- ½ pound rotini pasta - - uncooked
- 1 cup cucumber - - cubed
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes - - cut into halves
- ¾ cup green bell pepper - - cubed
- 1 medium onion - - sliced
- ¾ cup black olives - - whole or cut into halves
- 1 handful fresh basil leaves - - coarsely chopped
- parsley - - finely chopped
- ¾ cup Feta cheese - - crumbled
GREEK DRESSING
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper - (freshly ground)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Cook pasta as per package directions and let cool or better yet, chill.
- Prepare the dressing by combining all ingredients together in a small bowl.
- In a big bowl, combine the chilled pasta, vegetables and herbs. Add the dressing and feta cheese and toss well.
- Cover bowl and let stand on the counter or in the fridge for at 30 minutes to an hour (or longer) to allow the flavors to seep into the noodles.
What do you think?