Okay, so maybe this isn't the perfect pasta salad for picky eaters; kalamata olives, sundried tomatoes, heaps of veggies, and feta cheese don't appeal to everyone. But for those of us who (rightfully) love those strong flavors will be delighted to eat this tasty pasta salad. This pasta salad is anything but bland, every bite bursts with flavor.
This comes together in a flash, and requires very little cooking. I recently made this for a get together, and was looking forward to indulging in the leftovers as I made way too much food for such a small gathering. But to my surprise, there was none left within the first hour of the shindig, it's that good.
This can be made the night before you need it and refrigerated. And it's not supposed to be served warm, so sometimes it is ideal to make it ahead. If you are making it the night before you plan on eating it, prepare an additional half cup of dressing to add to it right before serving, as the pasta will soak up most of the dressing overnight.
- 1 pound prepared rotini, cooled (I prefer tricolor for the extra pop of color this gives the pasta salad)
- 1/2 cup citrus vinaigrette dressing
- 1 cup green peas
- 1 cup steamed fresh broccoli
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup red onion, minced
- 1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives
- 1/4 cup drained sundried tomatoes
- 2/3 cup chickpeas
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta
- In a large bowl, place the pasta, peas, broccoli, olives, chickpeas, tomatoes, and feta, set aside.
- In a small bowl, add the garlic and onions to the dressing. Stir to combine.
- Pour the dressing over the pasta, and stir to evenly coat all ingredients.
- Refrigerate or serve immediately.