A Pasta Salad made with fresh Mediterranean salad ingredients and drizzled with an incredible Lemon Herb dressing!
Loaded with so much flavour and perfect for any occasion, everyone goes crazy over this pasta salad! My Grilled Lemon Herb Mediterranean CHICKEN Salad has been a HIT with readers around the world, but many have been asking how to turn it into a vegetarian pasta salad version.
Here it is!
Easy Summer Pasta Salad
Adding pasta to this salad is not only a delicious vegetarian version, it’s a HUGE HIT with everyone I’ve asked to try it. Loaded with everything mediterranean:
- Cucumbers
- Olives
- Sun dried tomatoes
- Feta cheese
- Bell peppers (capsicum)
- Lettuce
- Tomatoes
- Red onion
- Creamy avocado pieces!
You can’t go wrong!
Meal in a salad? YES! Meat free? YES YES!
I kinda feel like saying, ‘Look ma! No meat!’
The Perfect Pasta Salad Recipe
Being a cold pasta salad makes it perfect for summer. It can be made up to a day in advance, leaving the avocado and tomato until ready to serve to keep them as fresh as possible. You can leave out some of the ingredients if you wish, or make it completely your own and add whatever you like!
This salad is extremely versatile and a forgiving recipe.
Pasta Salad Dressing
Using the same dressing as the Mediterranean Chicken Salad to keep all of your favourite flavours packed into this salad, you guys are guaranteed to love this version just as much! Perfect for parties, gatherings, pot lucks, or just for a family dinner.
What to Serve with this Pasta Salad
This pasta salad goes well with just about anything! You can of course serve it as a side salad to accompany any of the following meals:
- Garlic Herb Butter Roast Chicken
- Lamb chops
- Seared salmon or any other fish
- Oven fried chicken
- Greek Lamb Souvlaki
- Turkey burgers
- Beef burgers
- Seared lemon chicken thighs
The options are endless with this salad. You can add in marinated artichokes, fire roasted peppers, goats cheese instead of feta, arugula or spinach instead of or with the lettuce, etc!
Need more side salad inspiration? Try these!
Avocado Greek Salad & Greek Salad Dressing
Potato Salad with Bacon & Dill Pickles
Lemon Herb Mediterranean Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 12 ounces penne pasta dried
FOR LEMON HERB DRESSING:
- â…“ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice fresh squeezed
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano minced
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 pinch cracked pepper to taste
FOR SALAD:
- 4 cups Romaine lettuce or cos lettuce leaves, washed and dried
- 1 cucumber large, diced
- 1 avocado peeled, pitted and chopped
- ½ red pepper large, deseeded and cut into thin strips
- 9 ounces grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ red onion thinly sliced
- ½ cup pitted kalamata olives sliced
- â…“ cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil drained
- 5-6 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
Instructions
- Boil the pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente. Drain in a colander or strainer, then rinse under cold water to take the heat out. Transfer the pasta to a large mixing bowl.
- While pasta is boiling, prepare your dressing. Whisk together all of the marinade/dressing ingredients in a large jug.
- Add all of the salad ingredients into the salad bowl along with the pasta, and drizzle with the dressing. Toss all of the ingredients together until everything is coated evenly in dressing. Season with extra salt and pepper, if desired.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Barbara Amiel says
This sounds delicious. I’m wondering how the lettuce holds up after it is mixed with the dressing. Does it get soggy?
Karina says
Hi Barbara, no, it’s fine if eaten straight away.
Hayley says
this is a great recipe. I love it. I will definetly be making this again as its so good.