This pasta salad war originally a caprese pasta salad with mozzarella, but I really don’t like to bite into chunks of mozzarella cheese. So I changed it up a little and replaced the mozzarella with a delicious feta cheese which I love. The dressing for the pasta salad is a wonderful blend of garlic infused olive oil, balsamic vinegar with a background of fresh basil, really flavorful. I hope you enjoy this easy to make and very delicious pasta salad.
Pasta Salad (8-10 servings)
Ingredients:
12 oz. of your favorite pasta, cooked
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
6 oz. cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, chopped
2 oz. feta cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and rinse, set aside. In a small skillet combine olive oil, garlic and red pepper flakes (optional) over low heat. Warm oil slowly to allow flavors to infuse, 5-10 minutes. Do not let the garlic take on color. Set aside to cool slightly.
Place pasta in a bowl. Add olive oil mixture, balsamic vinegar, tomatoes and basil, toss to combine. Add feta cheese, toss gently. Season with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature or chilled. Enjoy!
Source: adapted from Annie’s Eats
What a delicious adaptation! I really love feta cheese too. 🙂