Description
A refreshing Mediterranean salad featuring pasta and creamy cottage cheese, packed with vibrant veggies and flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 oz Pasta (any shape, rotini or farfalle recommended)
- 1 cup Cottage Cheese (small curd)
- 1 cup Cherry Tomatoes (halved)
- 1 medium Cucumber (diced)
- 1/2 small Red Onion (finely chopped)
- 1 medium Bell Pepper (diced, mix of colors)
- 1/2 cup Kalamata Olives (pitted and sliced)
- 1/2 cup Feta Cheese (crumbled)
- 1/4 cup Fresh Parsley (chopped)
- 3 tbsp Olive Oil (extra virgin)
- 2 tbsp Lemon Juice (freshly squeezed)
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Dried Oregano
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Boil a large pot of salted water. Add pasta, cooking until al dente. Reserve a cup of pasta water before draining.
- Cool Down: Rinse pasta under cold water to stop cooking. Let sit in a colander to drain excess water.
- Mix the Creamy Base: In a large bowl, combine cottage cheese, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic powder, and oregano. Mix well, adjusting seasoning as needed.
- Combine the Goodies: Add cooled pasta to the creamy mixture and fold in cherry tomatoes, cucumber, onion, bell pepper, olives, and feta cheese gently.
- Season to Perfection: Taste and add salt and pepper as desired. Optionally, add extra oregano.
- Chill & Serve: Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Toss gently before serving and add fresh parsley as garnish.
Notes
For a vegan option, substitute cottage cheese with a blend of silken tofu and nutritional yeast. This salad can be made ahead of time for enhanced flavors.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 31g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 14g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
Keywords: pasta salad, Mediterranean, healthy salad, cottage cheese, summer dish, easy recipe