Lemon Pasta Salad Mix (Printable Copy)

Tangy lemon pasta with fresh veggies, herbs, and a zesty citrus dressing perfect for warm days.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 9 oz short pasta (fusilli, penne, or farfalle)
02 - 1 tsp salt for cooking 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 freshly ground black pepper

# How to Make:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking.
02 - While pasta cooks, halve cherry tomatoes, dice cucumber and yellow bell pepper, finely chop red onion, slice olives if using, and chop parsley and basil.
03 - In a large bowl, combine cooled pasta, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, bell pepper, olives, feta cheese, parsley, and basil.
04 - Whisk together olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, honey, sea salt, and black pepper in a small bowl or jar until well emulsified.
05 - Pour dressing over pasta mixture and gently toss to evenly coat all ingredients.
06 - Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to enhance flavors.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes, leaving you plenty of time to chill it before guests arrive.
  • The lemon dressing is tangy without being heavy, making it feel fresh even on the hottest days.
  • It's endlessly flexible—add chicken, skip the feta, toss in different vegetables depending on what's in your fridge.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the pasta under cold water—warm pasta will wilt the herbs and make everything taste less fresh.
  • The salad actually tastes better the next day when the pasta has absorbed the dressing, so make it ahead if you can.
  • Lemon juice oxidizes quickly, so squeeze it fresh and use it immediately rather than prepping it earlier.
03 -
  • Make the dressing in a jar so you can shake it hard one more time right before serving if the oil has separated.
  • Don't dress the salad more than a few hours ahead if it's going to sit in the heat—the pasta will get too soft and the vegetables will lose their snap.
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