Featured Recipe

Tangy Mediterranean Pasta Salad

Name: Tangy Mediterranean Pasta Salad
Prep time: 12 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 2 h 18 min
Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar; ½ cup extra virgin olive oil; 2½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 3 to 4 garlic cloves minced; 16 ounces rotini pasta; ½ English cucumber chopped; ½ cup yellow bell pepper diced; ½ cup red bell pepper diced and seeded; 1 cup red onion sliced thin; 1 cup kalamata olives pitted and sliced; 2 cups grape tomatoes halved; 5 ounces crumbled goat cheese

By Kate

Created on 24 January 2026

A chunky Mediterranean pasta salad loaded with colorful veggies, tangy dressing, and crumbly goat cheese. Rotini cooked firm, tossed with bell peppers, cucumbers, ripe tomatoes, sliced kalamata olives, and punchy red onion. Dressing hits hard with red wine vinegar, fresh lemon juice, plenty of garlic, oregano, and black pepper balanced by olive oil. Chill before serving to let flavors meld but never mushy. Easy swaps: goat cheese for feta, white wine vinegar instead of red. Vital to rinse cooked pasta immediately with cold water, stops carry-over cooking that ruins texture. Olive oil quality obvious here. Salt carefully; olives add saltiness too. Big on texture contrast and bright Mediterranean flair.

Prep: 12 min

Cook: 8 min

Total: 2h 18min

Serves: 12 servings

salad Mediterranean pasta vegan options meal prep

Introduction

No fluff. Pasta salad that doesn’t get soggy or dull. Layers of crunchy bell peppers, soft tomatoes, pungent red onions, plus salty olives and crumbly goat cheese. Dressing sharp; lemon and vinegar working behind the scenes to cut through fat of olive oil and cheese. Garlic isn’t subtle here—important for punch. Rinsing pasta stops mush. Chilling essential for flavor sync but not over long or pasta breaks down. Use best olive oil you have; lousy oil ruins dressing. Ditch standard feta; goat cheese crumbles smoother yet tart. Mediterranean vibes but flexible ingredient swaps if what you have differs. Kitchen-efficient, no wasted moves, real recipe techniques that work day after day.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

2½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 to 4 garlic cloves minced

16 ounces rotini pasta

½ English cucumber chopped

½ cup yellow bell pepper diced

½ cup red bell pepper diced and seeded

1 cup red onion sliced thin

1 cup kalamata olives pitted and sliced

2 cups grape tomatoes halved

5 ounces crumbled goat cheese

About the ingredients

Measured precisely but these rolls aren’t set in stone. White wine vinegar swaps red wine easily; either way sharp acidity key to balance oil. Lemon juice fresh gives brightness; bottled is last resort and weaker. Garlic mincing by hand preferred, never powdered. Olive oil matters—cold-pressed extra virgin best quality, noticeable aroma and flavor in dressing. Cheese: goat cheese replaces feta for creamy texture, less salty. Kalamata olives bring saltiness and briny bite, but if unavailable, pitted black olives work or chopped green olives for different salt profile. Slice veggies uniform size for even mixing and bite consistency. Rotini holds dressing well with curves and twists; fusilli or penne adequate substitutes. Salt content tricky; olives add natural salt—add salt sparingly and then adjust after mix.

Method

Start dressing with minced garlic in a small bowl or jar. Add white wine vinegar, olive oil, fresh lemon juice, oregano, salt, and pepper. Shake vigorously to fully emulsify; pause; shake again before pouring later.

Fill pot with salted water, bring to vigorous boil, toss in rotini. Stir immediately to prevent sticking. Cook al dente until firm with a slight bite, about 8 minutes but check early. The pasta’s around edges will plump up and swell while boiling. Drain pasta in colander, then rinse thoroughly under cold water until no longer hot. Essential to halt cooking or pasta goes gummy.

Prepare veggies meanwhile. Dice cucumber and both bell peppers into roughly same size chunks for uniform bites. Thinly slice red onion so it’s not overpowering visually or taste-wise. Pit olives, slice; halves of grape tomatoes. Texture contrast matters: crisp peppers versus juicy tomatoes.

In a large mixing bowl, toss together prepared vegetables and crumbled goat cheese. Pour the dressing on last after giving it a hard shake or a thorough stir to remix separated oil and vinegar layers.

Add pasta to the bowl. Fold gently to combine without smashing tomatoes or onions. Taste and adjust seasoning. If it tastes flat, add pinch more salt or splash more lemon juice - acidity brightens.

Cover bowl with plastic wrap or lid. Chill in refrigerator minimum 2 hours, ideally overnight. This lets all flavors marry and soften sharp onion and garlic edges, but salad remains texturally distinct. Serve cold or just slightly chilled.

If pressed for time, even 1 hour chilling helps but never skip this step.

Substitute goat cheese for feta for creamier tang; switch kalamata olives for green olives for milder flavor.

Technique Tips

Garlic in dressing gets strong as it sits; mince finely to blend smoothly, don’t crush or puree. Shake dressing well before each use; oil and vinegar separate naturally. Pasta cooking visually key—watch first boil with hand on timer. Al dente means firm but not crunchy, bite test better than clock. Rinse pasta immediately after draining under cold water until lukewarm, not just cool to halt residual heat. Veggies diced small but robust—salads shrink when chilled. Red onions sliced thin to avoid overpowering raw sharpness; soak briefly in water if desired to mellow but not necessary here. Toss everything gently; crushing tomatoes ruins texture, same with rough handling on cheese. Chill minimum 2 hours tightly covered to prevent fridge odors and dryness. Stir once midway through chilling if possible to redistribute dressing. Taste before serving and tweak acid or salt if softened too much. Leftover salad hydrates pasta more; best eaten within 24 hours. If pasta mush develops, add fresh cucumbers or tomatoes to refresh texture.

Chef's Notes

💡 Minced garlic is key. Fresh, fine pieces blend flavors strongly. Fine, not crushed or pureed. Emulsify that dressing well too. Toss veggies before mixing.
💡 Watch pasta closely while cooking. Firm but not crunchy is the goal. A bite test beats timing! Rinse under cold water to stop cooking. No gummy pasta.
💡 Cukes and bell peppers diced uniformly for even bites. Red onions thinly sliced. If sharp, soak in water briefly. Texture matters; contrasts help. Sweet from peppers, tangy from tomatoes.
💡 Adjust salt after all ingredients mixed. Kalamata olives add saltiness. Taste is essential. Acid in lemon juice? Brightens flavors. Got it too flat? Add a splash more!
💡 Chill salad min two hours before serving. Flavors meld. Cover tightly. No fridge odors ruining taste. Texture holds; pasta won't break down. Avoid mush.