This Italian zesty pasta salad is loaded with fresh Mediterranean ingredients and drizzled with delicious, tangy dressing made with olive oil, vinegar lemon & fresh herbs.
1cupartichoke packed in oil(drained and cut into wedges)
½cupricotta salata or feta cheese(crumbled)
For dressing
⅓cupextra virgin olive oil
2Tablespoonswhite wine vinegar
2Tablespoonsfresh squeezed lemon juice
2Tablespoonswater
1Tablespoonfresh parsley(finely chopped)
1Tablespoonsfresh basil(chopped)
1Tablespoonsdried oregano
1clovegarlic(minced)
1teaspoonsalt
Instructions
Cook the pasta al dente in a large stockpot according to package instructions.
Drain and transfer to a bowl, add 1 teaspoon of olive oil, and mix well. Allow to cool down.
Add all ingredients for the dressing to a jar and close with a tight-fitting lid.
Shake the jar vigorously to combine all ingredients.
Add the vegetables and cheese to the bowl.
Pour over the dressing and mix for a couple of minutes to nicely coat everything.
Serve immediately or chill for a couple of hours in the fridge before serving.
Notes
You can make your version of pasta salad using gluten-free pasta, just remember that type of pasta doesn’t stay as soft as regular pasta for a long time after being cooked.
Do not rinse your pasta in an attempt to stop the cooking or to remove the starch. First, starch helps the dressing to absorb better and flavor the pasta, secondly, you can cook your pasta 1 minute less than the package suggests, so it will finish its cooking while cooling down.