It’s been 10 years since I’ve had a taste of Ina Garten’s tomato and Feta pasta salad … and the dish is as delicious as I remember. Or maybe better.
In what seems like a lifetime ago, my mom’s friend put together an impressive lunch spread, featuring two kinds of salad, chocolate-dipped strawberries, lemon bars and brownies. Everything was phenomenal, but the tomato and Feta pasta salad stole the show. Several partygoers (one being me) even requested the recipe.
Think of tomato and Feta pasta salad as the no-cook version of this viral hit. The mélange calls for a short list of ingredients but packs a flavor punch. In fact, recipe developer and video host Alexis deBoschnek proclaimed it the “Queen of Pasta Salad.” If that’s not enough of a reason to recreate the dish, I don’t know what is.
Recipe adapted from Food Network.
- 5 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, removed from oil
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- 1 teaspoon capers, drained
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 8 ounces fusilli or other short pasta
- 4 tomatoes, seeded and diced
- 6 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, removed from oil and chopped
- ¾ cup chopped Kalamata olives
- 1 cup chopped fresh parsley
- ½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 8 ounces Feta cheese, cut into ½" pieces
- In a food processor or blender, purée all the dressing ingredients.
- Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Add 2 tablespoons dressing and toss to combine.
- Add the tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, Kalamata olives, parsley, Parmesan cheese and remaining dressing; toss to combine.
- Gently fold in the Feta cheese. Serve at room temperature or cold.
