Lemon Pasta Salad (Printable Version)

Bright, lemony pasta with fresh vegetables and tangy dressing, perfect for light, easy meals.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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 (about 1 lemon)
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 until al dente according to package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool.
02 - While pasta cooks, halve cherry tomatoes, dice cucumber and yellow bell pepper, finely chop red onion, slice kalamata olives if using, and chop parsley and basil.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, combine cooled pasta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, yellow bell pepper, olives, crumbled feta, parsley, and basil.
04 - Whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, honey, sea salt, and black pepper in a small bowl or jar until emulsified.
05 - Pour dressing over the salad mixture and toss gently to ensure even coating.
06 - Adjust seasoning to taste and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to enhance flavors.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than you can set the table, yet tastes like you fussed over it all afternoon.
  • The lemon dressing is so bright it practically glows on your plate, and somehow it makes every vegetable taste like the best version of itself.
  • It's the dish people ask for the recipe to, every single time you bring it somewhere.
02 -
  • Never skip cooling the pasta under cold water—warm pasta absorbs all the dressing and gets gummy instead of light and bright.
  • If you make this more than a few hours ahead, the pasta starts to absorb all the liquid and gets dense; make it the morning of or add a little extra dressing right before serving.
  • The first time I made this without fresh lemon juice and used bottled instead, my whole house seemed to notice the difference—it's the one ingredient that can't be faked.
03 -
  • Make your dressing in a mason jar with a tight lid and shake it hard for 30 seconds instead of whisking; you'll get a thicker emulsion and fewer dishes.
  • If you're bringing this somewhere, pack the herbs and a little extra dressing separately and stir them in just before serving so everything stays bright and fresh.
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