A classier pasta salad with premium vegetables like roasted red peppers and sun dried tomatoes mixed with cucumbers and artichoke hearts makes this memorable summer side dish.

My friend shared this Mediterranean Pasta Salad recipe that she created and makes for all of her big family gatherings.

Spoon stirring together a delicious batch of Mediterranean vegetable pasta salad with a light dressing in a large silver bowl.

When we tested this recipe the finished batch made 12 – 14 cups. The canned and jarred products are more compact and thus more filling than using fresh veggies.

A Vegetarian Pasta Salad Recipe

We often make food to share at friends gradation parties on the food table. This year we’ve made this recipe as well as Frozen Fruit Salad and Cheesecake for a Crowd.

In the past our Easy Pasta Salad for a Crowd and Mac and Roaster Mac and Cheese have been popular. We tested several variations of our Mediterranean Pasta Salad for a party with vegetarian guests.

A friend said this recipe is more upscale than the type of pasta salad you make for a cook out. This is the type of classier pasta you might make with a steak for a special dinner or to step it up for a Father’s Day meal.

Feta cheese sprinkled on an upscale pasta salad full of flavors and vegetables.

Pasta salad with balsamic vinaigrette makes it just as easy as using a bottle of Italian dressing, but there’s more of a vinegar flavor which complements the olives and artichoke hearts well. The feta crumbles give Greek vibes and a combination of flavors from several of the countries around the Mediterranean Sea, this salad is a unique and enjoyable combination of ingredients.

Ingredients Needed

Rotini Pasta – white is best, the tri-color doesn’t fit the Mediterranean vibe and was not well received in our recipe testing
Artichoke Hearts – canned or jarred work fine
Kalamata Olives – use a jar of slices or halves to save some time and labor, whole olives need chopped before mixing in
Roasted Red Peppers – come in a jar and are typically with the olives
Sun Dried Tomatoes – come in a jar and are often found with the cans of vegetables
Green Pepper – a fresh chopped bell pepper
Cucumber – we typically use an English cucumber, remove seeds for the best quality
Balsamic Vinaigrette – has a vinegar flavor that’s balanced with oil and saves time making a dressing
Feta Cheese – sprinkle on top just before serving

Ingredients to make Mediterranean pasta salad are feta crumbles, cucumber, Kalamata olives, roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, rotini pasta, sun dried tomatoes, green pepper and balsamic vinaigrette on a wooden counter top.

Step By Step Instructions

Most of the time preparing this recipe is spent chopping vegetables.

Prepare the pasta in salted water according to the directions on the package. Drain and rinse under cold water immediately.

Chopped ingredients in colorful sections in a large metal bowl on a wooden counter top ready to stir together to make a Balsamic dressing coated pasta salad.

Then stir salad dressing into the noodles.

Add chopped noodles to the dressing coated pasta and stir well.

Batch of pasta salad with Kalamata olives, sun dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, cucumbers and a light balsamic vinaigrette on a blue and white napkin.

The cucumber is best added the day the Mediterranean Pasta Salad will be served. Sprinkle the feta crumbles on top just before serving so that it holds it’s original structure and flavor.

Prep Ahead Tips

Drain jarred roasted red peppers and sun dried tomatoes, chop and return to the jars a couple days ahead of time. Store in the refrigerator.

Pasta can be cooked up to two days ahead of time and the dressing stirred in to prevent sticking. Pour into the bowl or dish that you will use to mix the entire pasta salad in OR the dish you plan to serve in.