Lemon Pasta Salad (Print version)

Bright and tangy lemon pasta with fresh vegetables and a zesty dressing, ideal for warm days.

# What You Need:

→ 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 crumbled feta cheese
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

# How to Make:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool.
02 - While the 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 bowl, combine the cooked pasta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, bell pepper, olives, feta cheese, parsley, and basil.
04 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, honey, sea salt, and black pepper until fully emulsified.
05 - Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients. Toss gently to coat all components evenly.
06 - Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld.

# Expert tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like summer feels, especially when you squeeze fresh lemon juice instead of reaching for the bottle.
  • Everything comes together faster than you'd think, leaving time to actually enjoy people instead of being stuck in the kitchen.
  • Leftovers somehow taste even better the next day, which means you're always prepared for unexpected lunch moments.
02 -
  • Don't dress the salad too far in advance or it becomes heavy and the pasta absorbs all the liquid, turning into something closer to mush than salad.
  • Fresh lemon juice makes an enormous difference—bottled juice tastes like a completely different dish, one you won't want to eat.
  • If the salad sits in the refrigerator overnight, add a small splash more olive oil and lemon juice right before serving because the pasta keeps drinking the dressing.
03 -
  • Zest your lemon before cutting it in half to juice—once you've squeezed it, the skin becomes nearly impossible to zest.
  • If your pasta is still hot when you add it to the vegetables, it'll stay slightly softer throughout the chilling time instead of firming up into something dense.
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