Lemon Vinaigrette Pasta Salad (Printable Version)

Bright pasta tossed with lemon dressing, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and fresh herbs for a fresh dish.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 9 oz short pasta such as fusilli, penne, or farfalle

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium cucumber, diced
03 - 1.5 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
05 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

→ Lemon Vinaigrette

06 - 1 large lemon, zested and juiced
07 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
08 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
09 - 1 small garlic clove, finely minced
10 - 0.5 teaspoon honey, optional
11 - 0.5 teaspoon sea salt
12 - 0.25 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Extras

13 - 0.5 cup feta cheese, crumbled, optional
14 - 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts, optional

# How To Make:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente according to package directions. Drain in a colander and rinse under cool water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, honey if using, sea salt, and black pepper until the mixture is well emulsified.
03 - Transfer the cooled pasta to the bowl with the vinaigrette. Gently toss to coat all pasta evenly with the dressing.
04 - Add the diced cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced spring onions, and chopped parsley to the pasta. Toss thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly distributed.
05 - If using feta cheese and toasted pine nuts, gently fold them into the salad. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed with additional salt and pepper.
06 - Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It tastes even better the next day when the flavors have had time to get cozy with each other.
  • You can throw it together in under 30 minutes, making it perfect for those moments when you realize guests are arriving soon.
  • It's endlessly flexible—add whatever vegetables you have on hand and it still works beautifully.
02 -
  • Don't be timid with the salt in the vinaigrette—pasta salad eaten cold needs more seasoning than a warm dish because your taste buds become less sensitive to salt when food is chilled.
  • If you make this ahead, keep the pasta and vegetables separate until a few hours before serving, then combine them so the vegetables stay crisp instead of turning into mush.
03 -
  • Toast your own pine nuts in a dry skillet if you can—they taste infinitely better than store-bought and only take three minutes to transform from raw to golden.
  • Make your vinaigrette in the bottom of the serving bowl before adding anything else, and you'll have one fewer dish to wash at the end of the day.
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