Lemon Pasta Salad (Print)

Bright and tangy pasta with lemon, fresh vegetables, and herbs perfect for light summer meals.

# Ingredients:

→ Pasta

01 - 9 oz short pasta (fusilli, penne, or farfalle)
02 - 1 tsp salt (for pasta water)

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
05 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
06 - 1/2 cup yellow bell pepper, diced
07 - 1/4 cup kalamata olives, sliced (optional)

→ Cheese & Herbs

08 - 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
09 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
10 - 2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped

→ Lemon Dressing

11 - 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
12 - zest of 1 lemon
13 - 3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
14 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
15 - 1 clove garlic, minced
16 - 1/2 tsp honey or maple syrup
17 - 1/2 tsp sea salt
18 - 1/4 tsp black pepper

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool.
02 - While the pasta cooks, prepare the cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, bell pepper, olives, feta, parsley, and basil.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta with all prepared vegetables, olives (if using), crumbled feta, parsley, and basil.
04 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, honey, salt, and black pepper until emulsified.
05 - Pour the dressing over the salad mixture and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
06 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes, leaving your afternoon actually free instead of stuck sweating over a stove.
  • The flavors get better as it sits—tomorrow's leftover tastes even brighter than today's fresh batch.
  • It's bold enough to stand alone as lunch but elegant enough to serve alongside grilled fish at dinner.
02 -
  • Drain your pasta but don't rinse it completely—a tiny bit of starch helps the dressing stick and keeps everything cohesive instead of slipping around.
  • If you're making this ahead and it looks dry the next day, don't panic; the pasta continues absorbing liquid, so just drizzle a bit more olive oil and lemon juice, toss, and taste.
  • The basil will turn dark if you add it too early, so wait until the last moment to fold it in.
03 -
  • Make the dressing a few hours ahead and let it sit so the garlic has time to soften and infuse the oil with its flavor.
  • If your pasta seems to absorb all the dressing by the next day, don't remake the whole thing—just whisk another batch of dressing and toss it in to refresh everything.
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