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This tasty summer pasta salad features a colorful assortment of crisp zucchini, sweet bell peppers, plump grape tomatoes, crumbled feta cheese, and a light dressing made with fresh lemon juice and zest to tie everything together. It’s perfect for lunch or as a side dish, and easy to turn into a one-dish dinner by adding a protein like chicken or shrimp.
Notes From the MGC Kitchen
We love pasta salads, particularly in summer, because they allow you to easily switch up flavors and ingredients to create a variety of dishes. Whether you’re in the mood for something light like this dish, or a heartier version that includes protein, a solid pasta salad base can be adapted to suit your tastes and the season. This flexibility not only keeps your meals exciting but also helps you use whatever ingredients you have on hand.
Key Ingredients
Here’s an overview of the essential ingredients for this recipe, along with shopping tips, and possible substitutions. The complete ingredient list is in the recipe card below.
- PASTA: When making pasta salads, you’ll want to choose a cut of pasta that holds the dressing well and is comparable to the size of the ingredients you plan to combine it with. We chose mini farfalle for this recipe, but penne, rotini, cavatappi, or medium shells would also be good choices.
- ZUCCHINI: Zucchini is a tender, sweet vegetable that can be eaten raw, which makes it perfect for making a summer pasta salad. You could also use yellow squash or cucumber, although if you do choose cucumber, be sure to remove any large seeds. Or better yet, buy the English variety.
- BELL PEPPER: Bell peppers add delightful sweet flavor, crisp texture, and vibrant color to this dish. Red, orange, and yellow peppers are interchangeable (although red and orange add more color), but stay away from green peppers, as their pungent flavor will overwhelm all the other ingredients.
- TOMATOES: You can use either grape or cherry tomatoes in this salad. We prefer grape tomatoes because cherry tomatoes often have a thicker skin that we don’t find as appealing in a dish where they’re not cooked.
- PARSLEY: A handful of chopped parsley adds color and fresh, herbaceous flavor to the pasta. You could also substitute fresh dill, as its flavor complements the feta and lemon very well.
- FETA CHEESE: Crumbled feta, combined with the lemony dressing adds both creamy texture and salty tang to the flavor of this salad. We always recommend buying your feta in a block and crumbling it yourself as the pre-crumbled versions are drier, less flavorful, and spoil more quickly.
- LEMON: The tangy flavor of lemon is what brings all the ingredients in this dish together, so it’s important to use fresh-squeezed juice and grated zest.
- OLIVE OIL, MAYO, AND CREAM: We use a combination of extra-virgin olive oil, mayonnaise, and light cream (or half-and-half) as the base of our dressing. It’s much lighter than heavier mayo-based pasta salads and it allows for the flavor of the feta and lemon to shine.
- GARLIC: While we do want some garlic flavor in this pasta salad, we don’t want it to be too pronounced, so our dressing calls for just one clove. You could substitute a bit of garlic powder if you prefer.
How to Make Creamy Lemon Pasta Salad
Here’s a basic overview of how this dish is prepared. For detailed, step-by-step instructions and a complete ingredient list, please refer to the printable recipe card below.
MAKE THE DRESSING: In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, mayonnaise, lemon juice, lemon zest, half-and-half, and garlic. Whisk until well blended and set aside.
PREPARE THE PASTA: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook and drain the pasta according to the package directions. Transfer it to a large bowl and toss with about half of the dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then set it aside to cool.
ADD THE REMAINING INGREDIENTS: Add diced zucchini, bell pepper, halved grape tomatoes, chopped onion, parsley, and crumbled feta cheese to the pasta and combine. Stir in the remaining dressing, and set the pasta salad aside for 10 to 15 minutes to give the flavors a chance to develop. You can also refrigerate it at this time to serve later.
FINISH THE DISH: Just before serving, taste one more time and adjust the seasoning if needed. Drizzle with extra olive oil and garnish with freshly ground black pepper.
Pasta Salad Variations
- Change the type of pasta: The pasta we chose for this dish is mini farfalle, but any cut that holds sauce, or in this case, dressing well will do. Other possibilities include penne, rotini, cavatappi, and medium shells.
- Mix up the veggies: We favor this easy combination of zucchini, grape (or cherry tomatoes), and sweet bell pepper, but fresh green beans that have been trimmed and blanched, shaved Brussels sprouts, cauliflower or broccoli florets, and diced carrots are all great alternatives.
- Dress up the dressing: A handful of fresh basil leaves cut chiffonade style is a great way to add extra flavor to this creamy lemon dressing. Or, if you love fresh herbs, try our recipe for Green Goddess Dressing which features tarragon, chives, and parsley.
- Try a different cheese: We like feta because it pairs so well with the fresh lemon flavor in the dressing, but the grassy flavor of crumbled goat cheese is a great alternative. Fresh mozzarella cut into small cubes would also be delicious, especially if you opt to add some fresh basil to the dressing. If you decide to try Green Goddess in place of the lemon dressing, think about omitting the cheese completely and adding diced avocado instead.
- Add protein and make it a meal: Turn this pasta salad into an easy dinner by adding grilled chicken or shrimp, hard-boiled eggs, or chickpeas for a vegetarian alternative.
Discover More Summer Salad Recipes
If you enjoy the bright flavors of this recipe, you might want to try our shrimp pasta salad that includes Kalamata olives and artichoke hearts for a distinctive Mediterranean flair.
For a sweet and savory side dish that also uses feta cheese, try our watermelon and feta salad with balsamic dressing. It’s perfect to serve alongside summer favorites like grilled chicken or fish.
Sticking with fresh citrus flavor, a fresh tomato and avocado salad with corn, sweet onion, and a creamy lime dressing is another favorite side dish that makes the most of summer produce.
For a light, yet satisfying one-dish dinner, try a salad topped with brined turkey tenderloins and a low-fat avocado dressing.
Creamy Lemon Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 8 ounces pasta, farfalle, rotini, penne
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 red or orange bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 cup chopped sweet onion
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
For the dressing:
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more if needed
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, (from 1 lemon)
- 1-1/2 teaspoons lemon zest, (from 1 lemon)
- 2 tablespoons half-and-half or light cream
- 1 clove garlic, minced
Instructions
- Put a pot of salted water on to boil, cook and drain the pasta according to the package directions, then transfer it to a large mixing bowl.
- Prepare the dressing by combining the olive oil, mayonnaise, lemon juice, lemon zest, half-and-half, and garlic in a small bowl. Whisk until well blended.
- Add about half of the dressing to the pasta, combine well, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside to cool for at least 10 minutes.
- Add the zucchini, bell pepper, tomatoes, onion, parsley, and feta cheese to the pasta and combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
- Stir in the remaining dressing and set the pasta salad aside for 10 to 15 minutes to allow the flavors to develop. You can also cover and refrigerate it at this point to serve later (see notes).
- Just before serving, taste for seasoning one last time and make any needed adjustments. Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and top with some freshly ground black pepper.
Notes
Pasta Salad Variations:
- Change the type of pasta: We chose mini farfalle for this dish, but any cut that holds sauce or, in this case, dressing well will do. Other possibilities include penne, rigatoni, and medium shells.
- Mix up the veggies: We favor this easy combination of zucchini, grape (or cherry tomatoes), and sweet bell pepper, but fresh green beans that have been trimmed and blanched, shaved Brussels sprouts, cauliflower or broccoli florets, and diced carrots are all great alternatives.
- Dress up the dressing: A handful of fresh basil leaves cut chiffonade style is a great way to add extra flavor to this creamy lemon dressing. Or, if you love fresh herbs, try our recipe for Green Goddess Dressing which features tarragon, chives, and parsley.
- Try a different cheese: We like feta because it pairs so well with the fresh lemon flavor in the dressing, but the grassy flavor of crumbled goat cheese is a great alternative. Fresh mozzarella cut into small cubes would also be delicious, especially if you opt to add some fresh basil to the dressing. If you decide to try Green Goddess in place of the lemon dressing, think about omitting the cheese completely and adding diced avocado instead.
- Add protein and make it a meal: Turn this pasta salad into an easy dinner by adding grilled chicken or shrimp, hard-boiled eggs, or chickpeas for a vegetarian alternative.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Really lovely, I had cooked chicken left over and this went well with it, quick and easy, will do it again regularly
Hi Alison,
Glad you enjoyed the pasta salad. I’ve added both chicken and shrimp on occasion and you’re right, it works well. Thanks!