If you like feta cheese, black olives, and like a really hearty pasta salad, this recipe is for you. I like all of the ingredients that went into it, and I found the salad to be delicious. It has a lot of flavor – more than your typical pasta salad. For dinner the other night, I served this with marinated, grilled chicken and Hawaiian-Style Cabbage Slaw. None of the three things I served went together, but individually they were great. I could have made a meal of this pasta salad. I found it so filling that I didn’t really need the chicken or the slaw. This makes a perfect lunch if there are any leftovers.

Think any of my boys ate this? Nope.

Tomato Feta Pasta Salad
Recipe from Ina Garten on FoodNetwork.com

1/2 pound fusilli pasta
Kosher salt
Good olive oil
1 pound ripe tomatoes, seeded and medium-diced
3/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and diced
1 pound feta cheese, medium-diced
6 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped

For the dressing:

5 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
6 tablespoons good olive oil
1 garlic clove, diced
1 teaspoon capers, drained
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 cup packed flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water according to package directions. Drain and allow to cool. Place the pasta in a bowl and add the tomatoes, olives, feta and chopped sun-dried tomatoes.

For the dressing, combine the sun-dried tomatoes, vinegar, olive oil, garlic, capers, salt and pepper in a food processor until almost smooth.

Pour the dressing over the pasta, sprinkle with the Parmesan and parsley, and toss well.

Yield: 6 – 8 servings

One year ago: Thai Curry Turkey Burgers
Two years ago: Chinese Chicken Salad
Three years ago: Cheese Quiche
Four years ago: Mojitos
Five years ago: Crispy Southwestern Baked Chicken