Pasta Salad with Artichoke Hearts and Feta is going to be your new favorite! Bow tie pasta loaded with artichoke hearts, feta cheese, crunchy bell pepper, red onion, tomatoes and black olives all tossed in a delicious Greek vinaigrette!
All the vibrant veggies make this Pasta Salad with Artichoke Hearts & Feta the shining star on the table. The blend of bowtie pasta with the color of tomatoes, black olives, onion and bell pepper along with the tender artichoke hearts make for a beautiful dish! It's the perfect mediterranean pasta salad.
Want a little meatiness to your salad add in pepperoni or salami! The addition also lends a bite of spice to the dish, while the feta adds some creaminess that put it over the top.
Warm weather gives us an abundance of flavors from herbs to so many delicious veggies, this makes any meal just burst with happiness! With all that happiness going on we find ourselves dining outdoors and spending time with family and friends as the days linger a little longer.
The birds are just singing now calling me outdoors! And with that, I don't know about you, but we start firing up our grill on so many occasions. I can smell the aroma in the air as the fresh breeze welcomes in this beautiful season. This Pasta Salad with Artichokes Hearts and Feta is perfect addition to your grilling or any picnic.
How to make Pasta Salad with Artichoke Hearts and Feta
- While the pasta is cooking. Start preparing those beautiful veggies. Cut or Dice those tomatoes, artichoke hearts and bell pepper (you can use any colors you want to add or what you have on hand)
- Whisk together your dressing. It's olive oil, white wine vinegar, garlic, parsley, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper.
- Once your pasta is done rinse with cold water and drain. Then add all your chopped green bell pepper, tomatoes, olives. If you want pepperoni go ahead and add them in too. Sometimes I'll chop up thin pepperoni or I will add the little round ones you can purchase – Aren’t they just so cute?) Toss it all together.
- Then top with your feta cheese and refrigerate for at least two hours, so all those flavors can come together and make this a heavenly pasta salad!
- After all that deliciousness sits a while in the fridge, toss in the feta and you are ready to plate or serve buffet style, whichever you prefer!
Easy and Delicious Dressing / Marinade
The dressing is a simple vinaigrette with dried herbs and S&P! That doesn't mean it lacks in flavor. It really gives this salad the most delicious zing!
It's key to get pasta salad cold and to let it sit in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. I like to make evening ahead or first thing in the morning. This gives the acid in the the dressing time to breakdown the starches in the pasta time and loads of taste to build!
- This dressing works as an amazing marinade for grilling chicken too!
Best tips for pasta salad perfection
- Cook pasta just past al dente point. You want you pasta to be completely cooked but not mushy. You are going to get the pasta cooled right away, so it won't be doing any additional cooking while it's hot.
- Make sure the pasta is cooled completely. You don't want to make those veggies hot. You want crispy and fresh veggies - so don't make the mistake of hot pasta 😉
- Top with the cheese and toss just before serving. The cheese adds creamy and delicious flavor but if you toss it in just before it will have some bite to it.
- Taste and Adjust to your liking. I find this to be the perfect dressing for the artichoke and feta pasta salad. But if you want a little more vinegar or pepper go ahead and add it.
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Pasta Salad with Artichoke Hearts and Feta
Ingredients
- 1 pound bowtie or macaroni pasta
- 2 large tomatoes, diced
- 18 ounces marinated artichoke hearts
- 1 green pepper, diced
- ¾ cup red onion, diced
- 5 ounce can small pitted black olives
- 8 ounces’ feta cheese, crumbled
- 5 to 6 ounces pepperoni or bag of mini pepperoni, (optional)
Dressing
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 ½ tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Cook pasta as per package instructions. Rinse in cold water and drain.
- Combine pasta, tomato, artichoke hearts, green pepper, onion, pepperoni, and olives in a bowl.
- Make dressing. Whisk together olive oil, vinegar, garlic, parsley, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper.
- Pour dressing over pasta salad and mix well.
- Top with feta cheese and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.
Nutrition
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Cindy Kerschner says
I didn't see pepperoni in the recipe list but it should be part of this great salad!
Nicole says
What a fantastic pasta salad!! This would be perfect at our upcoming BBQ to welcome Spring! LOVE!BN
[email protected] says
Thank you! I think it would be a perfect way to welcome in spring! Enjoy!
Marianne says
Nikki, I also noticed you mentioned to add pepperoni but left it off the list of ingredients. Ok, so, how much pepperoni? Also, I notice in the picture of the salad sliced carrots lay at the bottom of the salad. This adds beautiful color; are the carrots cooked and cooled. I think I will cook and marinate them in the juice from the jars of artichoke hearts. Sounds good to me.
[email protected] says
Welcome, Marianne! Thank you for catching that! I have corrected. At the bottom of the plate are actually mini pepperoni! Sometimes I use diced/sliced ones and other times I grab the bag of those cute mini ones!
But carrots would be delicious as well! I will have to try that and to them marinated in the artichoke juice = genius! I hope to hear from you again soon! <3
Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen says
Happy, happy first day of spring! This pasta salad sounds incredible. Artichoke hearts are my all-time favorite food and I love feta soooooo much. I need this salad in my life!
[email protected] says
Happy Spring Kelsie! Thank you so much! I think you would love it too! I have been making it for years! I won't say how many lol! But it's a keeper for sure! Enjoy!
Wendy Klik says
Love pasta salads and this one sounds like a keeper
[email protected] says
Thank you Wendy!
Liz says
I just love adding artichoke hearts to my salads....and olives, and tomatoes..... This looks wonderful!!!
[email protected] says
Thank you Liz! I love all them too!
Liz @ Books n' Cooks says
Antipasto and Greek pasta salads are some of my favorites for summer picnics and BBQs. I especially love that yours has artichoke hearts in it.
[email protected] says
Me too! Thanks I love the artichokes in this gives it a little something special!
The Finer Cookie/Kim says
Yes, feta is a terrific addition to pasta. Love it.
[email protected] says
I love feta in almost anything, but especially in pasta salad! Thank You!
[email protected] says
I love feta in anything, but especially in pasta salad! Thank you!
Carlee says
What a great side for some grilled meat! It looks delicious!
[email protected] says
It is a great side for grilling! Thank you and enjoy!
David @ CookingChat says
yum! I love feta and pasta together. Looks very tasty!
[email protected] says
Thank you David! Hope you give it a try!