Mediterranean Pasta Salad
Fusilli with cherry tomatoes, olives, feta and basil, completely without mayonnaise.
- Preparation
- 25 min
- Cook/bake time
- 12 min
- Total
- 1 hr 37 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
Fusilli with cherry tomatoes, olives, feta and basil, completely without mayonnaise. The pasta is mixed with the dressing while still warm because it absorbs significantly more flavor in this state and will not seem dry later. Ideal for barbecues, picnics and anything that needs to be transported.
Step-by-step instructions
- 1
Prepare dressing
Whisk olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, mustard, oregano and honey in a large bowl and season generously with salt and pepper. Rub the dried oregano between your palms to release its essential oils. The dressing should taste distinctly tart, as the pasta will absorb a lot of it later.
- 2
Cook pasta
Cook the fusilli in plenty of salted water until al dente according to the package instructions. Drain them, but under no circumstances rinse them with cold water. The starch on the warm surface is exactly what the dressing clings to, whereas cold rinsed pasta remains smooth and absorbs nothing.
- 3
Marinate warm
Add the hot, drained pasta directly to the bowl with the dressing and mix everything thoroughly. Let it stand like this for ten minutes and stir once in between. Warm pasta literally soaks up the dressing, while cold pasta leaves it standing at the bottom of the bowl.
- 4
Fold in ingredients
Let the pasta cool to room temperature and then fold in tomatoes, cucumber, olives, onion and sun-dried tomatoes. Add the feta at the very end and fold it in only loosely so that it remains in pieces and does not turn to mush.
- 5
Let rest
Chill the salad covered for at least one hour so that the flavors combine. Stir again before serving and taste, as it usually needs more salt and a splash of vinegar then. Only now fold in basil and toasted pine nuts so that both remain fresh and crunchy.
