Photo by Karen Hermann
Serves 8–10
Salad
- 1 pound short pasta, such as ditalini, orecchiette or farfalle
- 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved
- ½ English cucumber, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
- ½ cup chopped fresh basil
- 6 ounces feta or goat cheese, crumbled
Vinaigrette
- 2 garlic cloves, minced or grated
- ¼ cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- ¼ cup chopped red onion
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano or Italian seasoning
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Cook pasta according to package directions and drain well; allow to cool. Into a large glass salad bowl, add pasta, tomatoes, olives, cucumber, bell pepper, parsley and basil. Into a medium lidded jar, add garlic, lemon juice, vinegar, onion, salt, pepper and oregano. Shake until well blended.
If serving immediately, toss salad with vinaigrette and cheese.
If making hours ahead or the day before serving, toss pasta with half of dressing, cover and refrigerate. When ready to serve, add remaining dressing and cheese and toss thoroughly.
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What’s cooking at SCLiving.coop/food/chefbelinda
Recipes to pack for the ultimate summer, Southern backyard picnic—The lazy days of summer are perfect for picnics. These delightful dishes travel well and don't require refrigeration—no mayo in sight!