Creamy Spinach and Feta Pasta Salad

Ingredients

- 12 oz Penne pasta
- 1 medium cucumber, diced
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 small red onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Boil the Pasta:
- In a large pot, bring water to a rolling boil. Add a pinch of salt.
- Add 12 oz of penne pasta, stirring occasionally. Cook until al dente, approximately PT10M (10 minutes).
- Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.

2. Prepare the Vegetables & Dressing:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the diced cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, and chopped spinach.
- In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, minced garlic, finely chopped red onion, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper to make the dressing.

3. Combine Ingredients:
- Add the cooked pasta to the vegetable mixture in the large bowl.
- Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and toss gently to coat.

4. Add Feta Cheese:
- Crumble 1 cup of feta cheese over the salad and fold gently to integrate.

5. Chill and Serve:
- Allow the salad to chill in the refrigerator for at least PT30M (30 minutes) to let the flavors meld together.
- Before serving, gently toss the salad again and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Total Time

PT50M
50 minutes

Type of Dish

Lunch

Keywords

Pasta Salad, Spinach, Feta Cheese, Quick Lunch, Mediterranean, Vegetarian, Summer Salad, Healthy Lunch, Easy Recipe, Fresh Ingredients

Recipe Yield

Feeds 4 adults

Calories

Approximately 1200 calories total

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