Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Greek Pasta Salad With Creamy Feta Dressing


This is one of the salads that you are going to want to have a long term relationship with.
None of that "You're great, I'll call you sometime" kind of relationships. 
This is totally a "Oh my gosh let's go to Vegas and get married today" salad.
In fact, you may just want to get all up in that bowl and never leave. 
And, you know what, YOU CAN. You can eat this and eat this and eat this and not feel the least bit guilty. 
Want to know the nutritional count? 
For a quarter of the recipe (A LOT by the way) it is:
291 calories, 32 carbs, 11 fat, and 22 protein.
*gasp*
Yeah.
So.
Marry this one. 


Greek Pasta Salad With Creamy Feta Dressing

Ingredients
Creamy Feta Dressing
1/2 cup 0 fat Greek yogurt
1 Tbsp 1% buttermilk
1/2 cup light feta cheese, crumbled
1 small shallot, diced
1/2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/8 tsp dried dill
1/8 tsp dried thyme
sprinkle garlic salt
sprinkle onion powder
sprinkle black pepper

Salad
1 cup Catelli Healthy Harvest whole wheat rotini
2 large cucumbers, chopped
18 grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 small shallots, diced
1/4 cup light feta, crumbled

Directions
Prepare dressing - place Greek yogurt, buttermilk, feta, shallot, olive oil, and spices in a blender.


Process mixture until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary.


Chill dressing until ready to use. The longer it can sit the more the flavors can mingle. Try to let it sit for at least an hour. 
Prepare salad - Cook whole wheat pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process and cool pasta. Place pasta in a large bowl. 
Add in cucumbers, tomatoes, chickpeas, shallots, and half the feta (keep the other half to sprinkle on top when you serve it.) Stir well to combine.
Stir in the prepared dressing until well combined. 
The dressing may seem thick but it thins when you mix it with the salad. 


Sprinkle with the remaining feta and serve.
This recipe makes 4 large servings. If you are serving this as a side with a meal you should get way more servings. I counted the 4 as "eating just the salad as a meal" servings. 
I'm thinking I might even throw a chopped up cooked chicken breast in there and make it an even more complete meal. The calories would maybe be 100 calories per serving more at the most. A complete meal coming in under 400 calories! Those are my favorite.  
Oh. Yeah. I almost forgot....
You may have noticed there is no kalamata olives in this. That is because I find them yucky. If you want to throw a few in there that is up to you. 
(P.S. - Don't do it! Olives are nasty.... just sayin')

Be sure to visit My Turn (for us)  and Kitchen Fun With My 3 Sons and Hun...What's For Dinner and Carole's Chatter for some links to other fantastic recipes and crafts!

6 comments:

  1. The salad looks very good and delish.. Thanks for sharing with 4 seasons blog hop. Cheers and have a nice day. Pin in the Group's pinterest board.

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  2. I found this recipe on the Strut Your Stuff Saturday link party and it looks so good. I've never tried to make a greek pasta salad but you make it look so easy. The timing of me finding this recipe is perfect because the featured ingredient for today's Future Expat Required Ingredient Recipe Link Party is pasta. I hope you'll come add your recipe, and your other favorite pasta recipes, to the party.

    http://futureexpat.com/2014/02/required-ingredient-pasta/

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Karen :) We will definitely check it out!

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  3. This salad looks awesome! You had me at chickpeas, cucumber and feta. Thanks for sharing at Simple Supper.

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  4. Just finished making this...when it comes to pasta, I always think I need more than I do...I am making for 4 but ended up doubling cuz 1 cup pasta seemed like VERY little...and I now have a LOT haha...it's delicious! The only thing I will say is mine is VERY coated with dressing...I wonder if I should have just doubled the salad part and not the dressing...your's doesn't look as coated as mine...it's funny you made the comment about the olives at the end...I love kalamata olives but my husband wants to vomit at the thought of olives...I love a Mediterranean pasta salad but you never find one without them...I know you can just leave out but this looked so perfect...and it is!

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