• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Midwest Foodie
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Subscribe
  • Shop
  • Income Reports
  • Pinterest E-Book
  • Reviews
  • Media Kit
  • Vegan Recipe E-Book
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Subscribe
  • Shop
  • Income Reports
  • Pinterest E-Book
  • Reviews
  • Media Kit
  • Vegan Recipe E-Book
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Side Dishes

    Mediterranean Pasta Salad with Balsamic Dressing

    Published: Aug 5, 2019 » Modified: Jul 12, 2021 » By: Kylie » This post may contain affiliate links. » 5 Comments

    • Facebook
    Jump to Recipe

    Perfect for meal prep or a backyard barbecue, this 20-minute Mediterranean pasta salad is loaded with all your favorite Greek-inspired ingredients including a fresh lemony, balsamic vinaigrette!

    Overhead shot of a rectangle platter filled with Mediterranean pasta salad
    Table of Contents show
    You'll Love This
    Instructions
    Tips
    Frequently Asked Questions
    Pasta Salad Favorites
    Mediterranean Pasta Salad

    You'll Love This

    • It's the perfect pasta salad all year round! This salad utilizes high quality canned and jarred ingredients so it's easy to throw together in the middle of winter but also a welcomed side dish at any backyard barbecue during the hot, balmy summer time!
    • The flavors in this Mediterranean pasta salad are so YUM. This pasta salad is basically my all time favorite combination of foods. Salty, briny capers, olives and artichoke hearts combine with the tangy sun dried tomatoes, fresh kale and mild mozzarella in a big bowl of pasta - does it get any better than that? Yeah, no. It does not!
    • It's perfect for meal prep. I like to throw together a batch of this Mediterranean pasta salad on Sunday night and then enjoy it for lunch all week! That way I know I have a healthy, hearty lunch ready at a moment's notice without spending any extra time in the kitchen during the week.
    White marble counter top with ingredients to make a Mediterranean pasta salad

    Instructions

    Add pasta, olives, artichoke hearts, mozzarella, kale, sun dried tomatoes, onion and capers to a large bowl.

    Overhead shot of a white bowl filled with ingredients to make Mediterranean pasta salad

    Combine  olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic, thyme and a large pinch of salt and pepper in a large measuring cup and whisk until well combined. 

    Pour half the dressing over salad and toss to coat.

    Overhead shot of a white bowl filled with ingredients to make Mediterranean pasta salad with dressing being poured over it

    Just before serving, toss salad with the rest of the dressing and enjoy!

    Overhead shot of a white bowl filled with fresh made Mediterranean pasta salad

    Tips

    • Be sure to cook the pasta just until it's al dente. The pasta will continue to soak up the dressing as it sits. So in order to avoid a mushy mess, leave your pasta with a little toothsome bite.
    • If you're in a pinch, you can rinse the cooked pasta under cold water to cool it down more quickly. This is a hotly contested topic, but I'll tell you I've tried it both ways with all my pasta salad recipes and the flavor and texture are still delish regardless of whether the pasta is rinsed after cooking. I usually like to toss my pasta in olive oil, salt and pepper and then pop it in the fridge for 10-20 minutes to cool down. But I realize not everyone has that kind of time. So feel free to give it a quick rinse under cold water if you're in a hurry!
    • Opt for oil packed sun dried tomatoes as they seem to have more flavor. I have tried a few different brands of the sun dried tomatoes that just come dry in a bag. NO BUENO in my personal opinion. The oil packed sun dried tomatoes are really the way to go. They sometimes come with herbs added to the oil (which I love) and I just find that they have more flavor and a better texture than their dry counterparts.
    • I like a really tangy, acidic dressing for this Mediterranean pasta salad so I usually opt for just ⅔ cup of olive oil. If you like your dressing more mild - go for ¾ cup of olive oil instead. I'd suggest starting with the ⅔ cup of oil and see how it tastes to you. Then add more oil (perhaps a tablespoon or so at a time) until the dressing tastes just the way you like it.
    • Add just about half of the dressing at first and toss to coat. Then just before serving the salad, toss it with the rest of the dressing. This will keep the flavors fresh and prevent anything from getting soggy. In case you can't tell - soggy food is my arch nemesis.
    Close up shot of a rectangle platter filled with Mediterranean pasta salad

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can I use another kind of pasta in place of the penne?

    • Of course! Any short cut of pasta will work great for this pasta salad. Fussili, cavatappi, elbow macaroni, bow ties, rigatoni or even small shells would be delish in this salad!

    Can I sub fresh tomatoes for the sun dried?

    • You bet! I LOVE LOVE LOVE sun dried tomatoes, but I get that there not everyone's jam. Fresh tomatoes will be super tasty in this recipe too!

    Can I buy a bottle of lemon juice instead of squeezing fresh juice?

    • If you're in a pinch, it will work. But I strongly recommend squeezing a fresh lemon! It takes just seconds to slice the lemon in half and squeeze out all the juice. And the flavor of fresh squeezed lemon juice is SO MUCH better than the bottled stuff!

    Can I make this Mediterranean pasta salad ahead of time?

    • Yes! And please do! I like to make this about a day or so in advance so that the dressing can really soak into the noodles and let the flavors develop. Just add half the dressing initially and then add the remaining half just before serving so the flavors are fresh and bright!

    Is it easy to double or triple this Mediterranean pasta salad recipe?

    • Yes! If you're feeding a crowd this is the perfect recipe for you! It can easily be doubled or tripled to feed a large group. And the recipe card even includes a button to automatically double or triple the ingredients, making it easy peasy!
    Close up shot of a rectangle platter filled with Mediterranean pasta salad

    Pasta Salad Favorites

    • Antipasto Pasta Salad
    • Sun Dried Tomato Pasta Salad
    • Kale Caesar Pasta Salad
    • Vegan Asian Noodle Salad
    Close up shot of a rectangle platter filled with Mediterranean pasta salad
    Close up shot of a rectangle platter filled with Mediterranean pasta salad
    Print

    Mediterranean Pasta Salad

    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    ★★★★★

    5 from 2 reviews

    Perfect for meal prep or a backyard barbecue, this 20 minute Mediterranean pasta salad is loaded with all your favorite Greek inspired ingredients including a fresh lemony, balsamic vinaigrette!

    • Author: Kylie
    • Prep Time: 10 minutes
    • Cook Time: 10 minutes
    • Total Time: 20 minutes
    • Yield: 10 servings 1x
    • Category: Side Dish
    • Method: Stove Top
    • Cuisine: Mediterranean/American

    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 16 oz. penne pasta
    • 1 (15 oz.) can ripe olives, halved
    • 1 (14 oz.) can quartered artichoke hearts
    • 8 oz. fresh mozzarella pearls
    • 2 cups chopped fresh kale
    • 1 cup sun dried tomatoes, julienne cut (I prefer the oil packed ones)
    • ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
    • 2 tablespoons capers
    • olive oil 
    • Kosher salt
    • fresh cracked pepper

    Dressing:

    • ⅔ - ¾ cup olive oil
    • ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
    • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
    • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
    • 1 clove garlic, minced
    • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
    • Kosher salt
    • fresh cracked pepper

    Instructions

    1. Cook pasta according to package directions just until al dente. 
    2. Strain noodles and drizzle with olive oil. Add a large pinch of salt and pepper and toss to coat. Pop the pasta in the fridge for 10 minutes or so to cool down while you prep the other ingredients. 
    3. Add cooled pasta, olives, artichoke hearts, mozzarella, kale, sun dried tomatoes, onion and capers to a large bowl.
    4. Combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic, thyme and a large pinch of salt and pepper in a large measuring cup and whisk until well combined. 
    5. Pour half the dressing over salad and toss to coat.
    6. Just before serving, toss salad with the rest of the dressing and enjoy!

    Notes

    Be sure to cook the pasta just until al dente. The pasta will continue to soak up the dressing as it sits. So in order to avoid a mushy mess, leave your pasta with a little toothsome bite.

    If you're in a pinch, you can rinse the cooked pasta under cold water to cool it down more quickly. This is a hotly contested topic, but I'll tell you I've tried it both ways with all my pasta salad recipes and the flavor and texture are still delish regardless of whether the pasta is rinsed after cooking. I usually like to toss my pasta in olive oil, salt and pepper and then pop it in the fridge for 10-20 minutes to cool down. But I realize not everyone has that kind of time. So feel free to give it a quick rinse under cold water if you're in a hurry!

    Opt for oil packed sun dried tomatoes as they seem to have more flavor. I have tried a few different brands of the sun dried tomatoes that just come dry in a bag. NO BUENO in my personal opinion. The oil packed sun dried tomatoes are really the way to go. They sometimes come with herbs added to the oil (which I love) and I just find that they have more flavor and a better texture than their dry counterparts.

    I like a really tangy, acidic dressing for this Mediterranean pasta salad so I usually opt for just ⅔ cup of olive oil. If you like your dressing more mild - go for ¾ cup of olive oil instead. I'd suggest starting with the ⅔ cup of oil and see how it tastes to you. Then add more oil (perhaps a tablespoon or so at a time) until the dressing tastes just the way you like it.

    Add just about half of the dressing at first and toss to coat. Then just before serving the salad, toss it with the rest of the dressing. This will keep the flavors fresh and prevent anything from getting soggy. In case you can't tell - soggy food is my arch nemesis.

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size:
    • Calories: 282
    • Sugar: 5.4 g
    • Sodium: 572.6 mg
    • Fat: 4 g
    • Saturated Fat: 0.6 g
    • Trans Fat: 0 g
    • Carbohydrates: 47.3 g
    • Fiber: 6.2 g
    • Protein: 15.7 g
    • Cholesterol: 4.1 mg

    Keywords: Greek pasta salad, sun dried tomato pasta salad, vegetarian pasta salad

    « 30 Minute Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
    Arugula Salad with Dried Cherries and Goat Cheese »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. CONSUELO MARTINEZ-QUATTROCCHI

      July 02, 2020 at 3:02 pm

      Hi,

      We swapped out the sun dried tomatoes with fresh ones, and used French Feta cheese. It was delicious!!
      We're posting your recipe on our blog. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Kylie Lato

        July 02, 2020 at 10:13 pm

        So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Consuelo! However, please do not post my recipe on your blog. That is copyright infringement (not to mention very rude). I am going to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that you did not realize this. Please feel free to post a LINK to my recipe on your blog without listing any of the ingredients or the instructions. Thank you!

        Reply
    2. Luke

      August 05, 2019 at 3:07 pm

      Very fresh flavors!! And they seem to become even more pronounced the next day for leftovers!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Kylie Lato

        August 05, 2019 at 5:13 pm

        Could not agree more!!

        Reply
    3. Kylie Lato

      August 05, 2019 at 12:43 pm

      Summer isn't over yet - there's still time to make this delicious pasta salad!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply

    Leave a star rating and review or ask a question! Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

    Primary Sidebar

    HELLO FROM THE MIDWEST - I'm Kylie and as a mom and blogger, I understand how hard it can be to get a wholesome dinner on the table at the end of a long day. Here at Midwest Foodie, I focus on sharing simple recipes that make it easy to feed your family real food.

    More about me →

    Seasonal Favorites

    • The Easiest Rigatoni Bolognese
    • Easy Chicken Bacon Wraps with Ranch
    • The Best Greek Chicken Marinade
    • Ravioli with Peas and Asparagus
    • Perfect Pizza Rolls in the Air Fryer
    • Easy 10 Minute Air Fryer Hamburgers

    Easy Appetizers

    • 15 Minute Air Fryer Tater Tots
    • The Best Burger Sauce Ever
    • Roasted Garlic Goat Cheese Dip
    • The Best Dry Rub for Ribs
    • 5 Ingredient Smoked Queso - NO VELVEETA!
    • Air Fryer Green Beans

    Let's Connect!

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

    Footer

    Resources

    Pinterest E-Book
    Income Reports
    Shop

    Let's Connect

    Instagram
    Pinterest
    Facebook

    Reach Out

    Subscribe
    Contact
    About

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    ↑ back to top