Cucumber Pasta Salad (Printable)
Crisp cucumber, tender pasta and a tangy yogurt-dill dressing come together for a cool, picnic-ready side.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 9 ounces short pasta such as rotini, fusilli, or penne
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 large cucumber, thinly sliced
03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
05 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
→ Dressing
06 - 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
07 - 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
08 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
09 - 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
10 - 1 garlic clove, minced
11 - Salt and pepper, to taste
→ Optional Add-Ins
12 - 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
13 - 2 tablespoons capers
# How To Make It:
01 - Boil pasta in generously salted water according to package directions until al dente. Drain thoroughly and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy.
03 - Add the sliced cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced red onion, and chopped dill into the bowl with the dressing. Gently toss to coat the vegetables evenly.
04 - Fold in the cooled pasta, ensuring all ingredients are thoroughly combined and evenly coated with the dressing.
05 - If desired, gently fold in crumbled feta cheese and capers for added flavor.
06 - Cover the salad and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes for optimal flavor infusion. Toss again before serving and adjust seasoning to taste as needed.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- You get the kind of zippy, creamy dressing that clings perfectly to pasta and soaks into cucumbers without making things soggy.
- This salad looks impossibly cheerful tossed together and earned repeat requests at every picnic I brought it to.
02 -
- I once mixed in steaming-hot pasta and ended up half-cooking my cucumbers – wait until it’s completely cool.
- Letting the salad rest in the fridge intensifies the flavors far beyond what you taste immediately.
03 -
- I always pat my cucumber slices dry with a paper towel to help the dressing stick and avoid watery salad.
- Mix the dressing at the bottom of the bowl, then add ingredients—less mess, less cleanup.