Sun-Dried Tomato & Feta Pasta Salad
Fresh, vibrant, and full of Mediterranean-inspired flavours, this Creamy Lemon Feta Pasta Salad is one you'll find yourself making all summer long. Peppery arugula, tangy feta, sweet sun-dried tomatoes, crisp cucumber, and fresh basil are tossed with a light and creamy lemon yogurt dressing that's bursting with fresh flavour. It's the perfect side dish for BBQs, potlucks, lunches, or an easy weeknight dinner, and it keeps beautifully in the fridge.
Prep time
20 min
Cook time
10 min
Serves
Ingredients
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Pasta Salad
- 1 lb (454 g)fusilli pasta
- 1 cupcrumbled feta cheese
- ¾ cupchopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained
- 1 cupdiced cucumber
- ½ cupfinely diced red onion
- 3 cupsbaby arugula, roughly chopped
- ¼ cupchopped fresh basil
- freshly cracked black pepper, for serving
Creamy Lemon Yogurt Dressing
- ¾ cupplain Greek yogurt
- 3 tbspextra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbspfresh lemon juice
- ½ tsplemon zest
- 1 tspDijon mustard
- 1 small clovegarlic, finely grated
- 1 tsphoney
- 1 tspItalian seasoning
- ½ tspkosher salt
- ¼ tspfreshly ground black pepper
- 2–3 tbspwater, if needed, to thin the dressing
Ingredients
Pasta Salad
- 1 lb (454 g)fusilli pasta
- 1 cupcrumbled feta cheese
- ¾ cupchopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained
- 1 cupdiced cucumber
- ½ cupfinely diced red onion
- 3 cupsbaby arugula, roughly chopped
- ¼ cupchopped fresh basil
- freshly cracked black pepper, for serving
Creamy Lemon Yogurt Dressing
- ¾ cupplain Greek yogurt
- 3 tbspextra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbspfresh lemon juice
- ½ tsplemon zest
- 1 tspDijon mustard
- 1 small clovegarlic, finely grated
- 1 tsphoney
- 1 tspItalian seasoning
- ½ tspkosher salt
- ¼ tspfreshly ground black pepper
- 2–3 tbspwater, if needed, to thin the dressing
Instructions
- 1
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the fusilli until al dente according to the package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water until completely cooled. Drain well. Toss with a drizzle of olive oil to prevent the pasta from sticking.
- 2
While the pasta cools, whisk together the Greek yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, Dijon mustard, garlic, honey, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper until smooth. If needed, whisk in 2–3 tablespoons of water until the dressing reaches a creamy, pourable consistency.
- 3
Reserve about ¼ cup of the dressing before assembling the salad. This can be tossed with the pasta later to freshen it up after it's been refrigerated.
- 4
In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta, cucumber, red onion, and sun-dried tomatoes. Pour the remaining dressing over the salad and toss until everything is evenly coated.
- 5
Gently fold in the feta, basil, and arugula just before serving to keep the greens fresh and the feta nice and chunky.
- 6
Finish with a generous crack of fresh black pepper and serve immediately, or refrigerate for 30 minutes to let the flavours come together.
Melissa's Notes
Reserve about ¼ cup of the dressing before mixing the salad. Pasta naturally absorbs dressing as it sits, so tossing the leftovers with the reserved dressing helps bring the salad back to life the next day.
Use oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes for the best flavour.
Finish with extra freshly cracked black pepper and a little extra crumbled feta for a beautiful presentation.
This pasta salad keeps very well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and has such a fresh, bright, lemony flavour that it tastes just as delicious the next day.
Nutrition Information
Per serving — based on 8 servings
Nutrition information is an estimate and may vary depending on the ingredients and brands used.
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