Store Bought? Not! Greek Pasta Salad

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wegmans Markets has a great Greek salad in the family size tub that we will pick up in the summer time when we are looking for a quick accompaniment to our main course.  It is shell pasta and Kalamata olives with feta and cucumber.  While scouring Pinterest we found a recipe that makes the exact salad that we buy.  A little group effort in the kitchen, some tweaks to the recipe for extra flavoring and Bam - Greek Pasta Salad. This went great with our home made Polish sausage made at the meat department of our locally owned grocery store.  So if you are looking for a new summer salad, give this a try.

 

Greek Pasta Salad

Ingredients

12 oz. of uncooked shell pasta

2 cups medium diced seedless cucumber, lightly sprinkled with salt

½ cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped coarse or kept whole

1 cup crumbled feta cheese, Mediterranean blend

 

Dressing:

2 teaspoons dried oregano

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1½ teaspoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon sugar

Salt and ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook it until al dente (use the time on the pasta box as a guide). Strain the pasta and transfer it to a large bowl to cool while you make the dressing.

 

In a small bowl, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients, except for the olive oil. While whisking, stream in the olive oil. Season the dressing with salt and pepper, to taste. Add the cucumbers, olives, and feta cheese to the bowl with the pasta.

 

Mix the dressing ingredients, except for the salt and pepper, in a separate bowl.Pour the dressing over the pasta, tossing to combine, add salt and pepper to taste, then cover the salad with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 3 hours or overnight for the flavors to fully come together. When ready to serve, toss the pasta salad again.