Recipe: Protein Packed Greek Pasta Salad

A true BBQ has some killer sides that compliment the main entree.

I made this Greek Protein Pasta Salad dish as a side for our recent 4th of July block party and it was a hit. It's a spin on a classic pasta salad - made with fresh, summer veggies and protein pasta to balance out those macronutrients. 

We've been talking about getting strong this summer and in order to do that, we have to eat enough calories to nourish our bodies. Protein is particularly important, because it's essential when it comes to building and maintaining muscle. So let's eat up! 

Here are details. Let me know if you make this and what you think!

Protein Packed Greek Pasta Salad

Ingredients For the Salad:

• 12 ounces pasta (I used Barilla protein pasta)
• 1/2 cup Kalamata olives (pitted and halved)
• 1/3 cup diced red onion
• 2 cups English or Persian cucumber cut into half moons
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup feta cheese cubed (use low fat for lower calorie)
• 1/4 cup parsley to garnish

Ingredients for the Dressing:

• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1.5 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1.5 tablespoons honey
• 1.5 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 3/4 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3/4 teaspoon salt + 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Instructions:

• Pasta: Bring water to a boil and salt the water before adding the pasta. Add the pasta, and cook al dente, according to package instructions. Drain and rinse in cold water until cool.
• Veggies: Prep the veggies while the pasta cooks. Halve and pit the olives, dice the red onion, cut the cucumbers, and halve the cherry tomatoes. Mince the parsley and crumble or cut the feta into small cubes. Add all of these ingredients to a large bowl, then add the cooled pasta.
• Dressing: Combine all of the dressing ingredients into a glass jar. Shake thoroughly to combine. Refrigerate until ready to use. To serve, shake dressing again right before adding to the salad, then drizzle and mix into salad. Toss, then add in feta and toss again. Chill for 30 minutes or an hour before serving. Gently toss again before serving, and enjoy!