Zesty Italian Pasta Salad Recipe

Rating 5.0
| 1
| Last Updated on June 10, 2024
Zesty Italian pasta salad is a step up from your everyday pasta salad. It features featuring flavorful sun-dried tomatoes, feta cheese and capers combined with tender pasta and a zingy homemade dressing.
Utensils Lunch
Globe Italian
15
ingredients
5
steps
30
minutes
When Chef Rachel isn’t giving cooking demos on local TV stations or creating food content for the home shopping channel, she works as a food stylist for print marketing, cookbooks, television and packaging. She graduated at the top of her class from Le Cordon Blue and is the author of "The Pretty Plate: Making Everyday Meals Magnificent." Chef Rachel is a true culinary virtuoso who is eager to share her passion with you.

Ingredients

Servings:
14
For the Dressing
1 cup(s)
olive oil, see notes 1
1/3 cup(s)
red wine vinegar
1 tsp
granulated sugar
1/2 tsp
salt
1/4 tsp
ground dry mustard
1/4 tsp
ground cayenne pepper
1-2
garlic cloves, minced
1
dash hot sauce, optional
For the Pasta Salad
1
batch of dressing, see above
16 oz
penne pasta, cooked and cooled
2 cup(s)
Roma tomatoes, chopped
7 oz
sun dried tomatoes in oil, chopped
4 oz
feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup(s)
fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 cup(s)
small capers, drained
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Directions 5 steps | 30 Minutes

Step 1

Measure and prep all ingredients for the zesty Italian pasta salad.

Zesty Italian Pasta Salad Recipe: Measure and prep all ingredients for the zesty Italian pasta salad.
Step 2

Prepare the dressing. In a bowl, combine the olive oil, red wine vinegar, granulated sugar, salt, ground dry mustard, ground cayenne pepper, minced garlic and hot sauce, if using. 

Zesty Italian Pasta Salad Recipe: Prepare the dressing.
Step 3

Assemble the pasta salad. In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta, chopped Roma tomatoes, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, crumbled feta cheese, chopped parsley and drained capers. 

Zesty Italian Pasta Salad Recipe: Assemble the pasta salad.
Step 4

Pour the dressing over the bowl and toss gently to incorporate. 

Zesty Italian Pasta Salad Recipe: Pour the dressing over the bowl and toss gently to incorporate.
Step 5

Cover and refrigerate until chilled and ready to serve. Enjoy! (See notes 2.)

Zesty Italian Pasta Salad Recipe: Cover and refrigerate until chilled and ready to serve.

Notes:

  1. For extra flavor, use the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes in place of or as part of the olive oil.
  2. For the best flavor, make the dish a day ahead for the flavors to meld together.

Nutrition Per Serving
View All
CALORIES
316
FAT
19.8 g
PROTEIN
6.4 g
CARBS
29.3 g
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1 Comments
1 Comments
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Carmela G.

Carmela

Cozymeal Team Member

11 Jun 2024

The Zesty Italian Pasta Salad is a delightful dish that's perfect for various occasions. This pasta salad is a must-try for those who enjoy a hearty yet light meal that pairs well with a variety of main dishes or stands out on its own.

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