Lemon Vinaigrette Pasta Salad (Printable)

Zesty pasta with cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, fresh herbs, and a bright lemon dressing.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 9 oz short pasta such as fusilli, penne, or farfalle

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium cucumber, diced
03 - 1½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
05 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

→ Lemon Vinaigrette

06 - 1 large lemon, zested and juiced
07 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
08 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
09 - 1 small garlic clove, finely minced
10 - ½ teaspoon honey, optional
11 - ½ teaspoon sea salt
12 - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Extras

13 - ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled, optional
14 - 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts, optional

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente according to package directions. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water to halt the cooking process. Transfer to a clean bowl.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, honey if using, sea salt, and black pepper until the mixture emulsifies.
03 - Add the cooled cooked pasta to the bowl with vinaigrette. Toss gently to ensure the pasta is evenly coated with the dressing.
04 - Add the diced cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced spring onions, and chopped parsley to the pasta mixture. Toss thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly distributed.
05 - If desired, fold in the crumbled feta cheese and toasted pine nuts. Taste the salad and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
06 - Refrigerate the salad for at least 15 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Serve chilled or at room temperature according to preference.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It actually tastes better the next day once the pasta absorbs all that bright lemon flavor.
  • You can throw it together in under 30 minutes and it's the kind of dish that makes you look like you spent way more effort than you did.
  • It travels beautifully to picnics and potlucks without falling apart or getting soggy.
02 -
  • Oversalting the pasta water is not a mistake—it's the only chance you get to season the pasta itself, so don't be shy about it.
  • If you make this ahead and it seems a little dry the next day, don't panic and don't add more dressing blindly; just toss it gently with a tiny splash of fresh lemon juice and olive oil.
03 -
  • Toast your own pine nuts in a dry skillet for two minutes if you can—store-bought toasted ones are fine, but the ones you toast yourself taste exponentially better.
  • Keep an extra lemon on hand because you'll inevitably want more zest and juice, and there's nothing worse than discovering mid-recipe that you're one lemon short.
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