Lemon Pasta Salad (Printable)

Bright pasta tossed with lemon, crisp veggies, herbs, and tangy dressing for fresh summer flavor.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 9 ounces short pasta (fusilli, penne, or farfalle)
02 - 1 teaspoon salt (for pasta 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 crumbled feta cheese
09 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
10 - 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

→ Lemon Dressing

11 - 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
12 - Zest of 1 lemon
13 - 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
14 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
15 - 1 clove garlic, minced
16 - 1/2 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
17 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
18 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool.
02 - While the pasta cooks, halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber and yellow bell pepper, finely chop the red onion, slice the olives if using, and chop fresh parsley and basil.
03 - In a large bowl, mix the cooled pasta with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, bell pepper, olives, crumbled feta, parsley, and basil.
04 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, honey, salt, and black pepper until the dressing emulsifies.
05 - Pour the dressing over the pasta and vegetable mixture. Gently toss to coat all ingredients evenly.
06 - Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to enhance flavors before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes better the longer it sits, so you can actually make it ahead instead of stressed about timing.
  • The lemon dressing is bold enough that you don't need much else, which makes it feel restaurant-quality on a picnic blanket.
  • It works for vegetarians, fits in a cooler, and somehow makes ordinary pasta feel like a celebration.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the hot pasta under cold water—warm pasta will wilt the vegetables and make the dressing separate.
  • The lemon zest matters more than you'd expect; it holds flavor in a way juice alone can't reach.
  • This salad only gets better as it sits, so make it the morning of an event if you can instead of rushing at the last minute.
03 -
  • Use a microplane zester for lemon zest—it catches the fragrant oils better than a box grater and makes the zest feel like actual flavor instead of colored bits.
  • Whisk the dressing vigorously for a few extra seconds; the mustard will help emulsify the olive oil and lemon juice so it clings to the pasta instead of pooling at the bottom.
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