Pasta Salad Cups (Printable version)
Individual pasta cups layered with veggies, feta, and a zesty red wine vinaigrette—portable party bites.
# Ingredient list:
→ Pasta
01 - 7 ounces short pasta, such as mini shells, fusilli, or penne
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
03 - 1/2 cup cucumber, diced
04 - 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
06 - 1/4 cup black olives, sliced
07 - 1/4 cup sweet corn (optional)
→ Cheese & Herbs
08 - 1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
→ Dressing
10 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
11 - 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
12 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
13 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
14 - Salt and pepper, to taste
# Directions:
01 - Cook pasta in a medium pot of boiling salted water according to package directions until al dente. Drain using a colander, rinse under cold water, and allow to cool completely.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, dried oregano, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, combine cooled pasta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, black olives, and sweet corn.
04 - Pour prepared dressing over pasta and vegetables, tossing gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
05 - Fold in crumbled feta cheese and chopped basil, mixing carefully to maintain cheese texture.
06 - Divide salad mixture evenly among 8 small serving cups.
07 - Optional: Garnish each cup with additional basil or a small cube of feta. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- These cups travel brilliantly to picnics and look instantly festive at any gathering (trust me, people won’t stop talking about them).
- The tangy homemade dressing clings to each ingredient, giving you that big bold flavor in every bite.
02 -
- Once, I made the mistake of skipping the pasta rinse and ended up with a gummy salad—don’t be like me, always rinse and cool it!
- I found that letting the salad sit too long with the dressing can dull the veggies, so only toss right before filling the cups.
03 -
- Slicing veggies evenly means every cup looks and tastes balanced—rushing this step once gave me a few lopsided salads.
- A short rest in the fridge makes all the flavors sing—don’t skip that step before serving, even if you’re in a hurry.