This copycat Zoe’s Kitchen pasta salad recipe is simple and flavorful! Campari tomatoes, feta, and herbs in a quick olive oil dressing. This pasta salad makes a great side dish, add grilled steak or chicken for a heartier meal. Easily make this salad ahead of time for parties or gatherings. The perfect recipe for fresh summer produce!
Serve along side warm pita bread, works great to soak up any leftover dressing!
Highlights of this easy pasta salad recipe:
- Quick & simple recipe
- Family friendly
- Toppings can be customized
- Copycat recipe you can make at home
- Light and refreshing for summer
- Delicious cold salad
- Can be made into a main course by adding grilled chicken or steak
- Perfect for summer produce
Any fresh herbs will work for this recipe, I used basil and oregano. But you could add in rosemary, thyme, or dill! The fresh basil really adds a nice pop of color and flavor.
Quick Steps:
- Cook pasta according to package directions
- Drain and cool pasta
- Mix up the dressing
- Chop fresh tomatoes, feta, and basil
- Toss everything together
Grocery Store List & Substitutions:
- Pasta of choice
- Cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes
- Fresh basil
- Feta cheese, block or crumbles
- Extra Virgin Olive oil
- Sea salt
- Fresh cracked black pepper
- Garlic
Serve cold or at room temperature.
Variations & add-in ideas:
- Mixed in sliced avocados or thin ribbons of zucchini
- Add in some leftover rotisserie chicken
- Use store-bought Italian or ranch dressing instead of the homemade dressing
- Use other fresh herbs as desired
- Add in beef meatballs
- Mix in additional cheese like parmesan cheese
- Sliced red onions or arugula spring mix add extra flavor and substance to the salad
- Top with grilled chicken kabobs or steak kabobs for a heartier dish
- Toss in some Kalamata olives of Calabrian peppers
If you like this Copycat Zoe’s Kitchen Pasta Salad Recipe, you’ll love these other simple recipes…
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Arugula, Apple, and Grilled Chicken Salad
Serve with a grilled cheese on toasted sourdough bread for a total comfort meal!
I toss the feta and tomatoes in a little of the salad dressing and let them sit to “marinate” before tossing everything together. Adjust the flavors by seasoning heavily with black pepper and salt. This is a perfect salad for summer gatherings.
Tools I used for this favorite pasta salad:
- Serving Platter – a great neutral option for serving salads or pastas
- Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls – perfect for mixing the salad
- Pint Mason Jars – perfect for shaking up salad dressings, any extra dressing can easily be stored
Zoe’s Kitchen is a fast Mediterranean chain, this pasta salad would go well with pita chips and classic hummus, roasted bell peppers, Greek salad, or potato salad.
Why is pasta salad better the next day?
Pasta salad is better the next day because everything has had time to soak up the dressing. Unlike lettuce salads, the noodles wont get soggy or wilt if they sit in the dressing for a longer period of time.
How do you get dressing to stick better to pasta salad?
Once you cook the pasta, do not rinse it off to cool it down. Instead drizzle it with a little olive oil and give it a toss so the noodles don’t stick together as they cool. Allow the noodles to cool on their own, rinsing your cooked pasta removes any starch left on the noddle’s. The starch is what allows to sauce to stick to the noodles.
What is the best pasta to use for pasta salad?
I prefer using a pasta that has texture so the sauce and toppings can stick easier. Pastas like rotini, rigatoni, mini shells, penne, or fusilli are all great options. If you use a flat pasta like pappardelle, spaghetti, linguine, or tagliatelle the sauce and toppings will have a harder time stick to the noodles.
Leave the dressing as it or blend for a smoother, creamy dressing. Add in fresh lemon juice for more of a lemon vinaigrette.
Instructions for this delicious cold salad:
- Cook pasta according to package instructions, drain, and allow to cool. Add to a large bowl along with feta and tomatoes.
- In a mason jar combine olive oil, basil, salt, pepper, and garlic. Shake well to combine. Pour over the pasta mixture and toss well to combine.
- Season with extra basil, salt, and pepper if desired. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days
Copycat Zoe’s Kitchen Pasta Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 16 oz. Dry pasta, any shape, cooked according to package
- 1 pint Campari tomatoes, halved or quartered
- 8 oz Feta cheese, crumbled
- Fresh basil, chopped finely
- 1/2 cup Olive oil
- 2 tsp Kosher salt
- Fresh cracked black pepper
- 2-3 cloves Garlic, minced
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package instructions, drain, and allow to cool. Add to a large bowl along with feta and tomatoes.
- In a mason jar combine olive oil, basil, salt, pepper, and garlic. Shake well to combine. Pour over the pasta mixture and toss well to combine.
- Season with extra basil, salt, and pepper if desired. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @theheartylife on Instagram and hashtag it #theheartylife.
Not sure what to serve this Copycat Zoe’s Kitchen Pasta Salad Recipe, try these ideas…
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