Mediterranean Pasta Salad

I made this last week when I was craving a pasta salad and I asked on Instagram if y'all would like to see the recipe and you answered back with a Yes. So here it is, my Mediterranean Pasta Salad.

This pasta salad has all the foods that are reminiscent of the Mediterranean - olives, tomatoes, artichokes, pasta, and peas.

Y'all know when you get that craving and you think of something in your mind while you're at the store and just start throwing items in your cart that you think will taste great together, right? No?

Well that's what happened to me when I thought of this pasta salad at the store. I just started throwing stuff in the cart that went with the idea in my mind. Needless to say, my mind can be quite imaginative.

Of course I needed pasta for a pasta salad but these are not your ordinary spaghetti noodles. These spaghetti noodles are also made with vegetables (dried carrots, tomatoes, and spinach) giving the noodles a rich color.

And when I think of Mediterranean foods, I always think of tomatoes, olives, artichokes, and peas. So I combined different types of tomatoes, fresh and sun-dried, plus Kalamata olives, black olives, and Manzanilla olives for a bouquet of flavor. Tossed in some artichoke hearts and sweet peas, drizzled Greek dressing throughout, and topped it with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Voilà.

A simply light pasta salad that makes for a great meal on these warm summer days. Easy to make and healthy too!

I know it might not be officially summer yet (or for some of you, even warm where you're at) but here in Georgia, the mercury's been riding the high 80's to low 90's and that's summer weather to me!

Whatever the weather where you are, this pasta salad will have you dreaming of sunny days in the Mediterranean.

Mediterranean Pasta Salad

Recipe by Julie Murphy

A healthy vegan Mediterranean pasta salad.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes
Ingredients

• 1 - 12 ounce package Ronzoni Garden Delight spaghetti
• 1 - 8.5 ounce DR WT jar pitted Kalamato olives, drained
• 1 - 10 ounce DR WT jar Manzanilla olives with pimentos, drained
• 1 - 6 ounce DR WT can pitted medium black olives, drained
• 14 ounces quartered artichoke hearts, drained
• 12 ounces frozen sweet peas, unthawed
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, julienne cut
• 1 - 10.5 ounce package fresh grape tomatoes, rinsed
• 1 - 10.5 ounce package fresh cherry tomatoes, rinsed
• 1 - 10.5 ounce package fresh yellow grape tomatoes, rinsed
• 2 to 4 Tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese for topping
• 8 ounces Greek salad dressing

Cooking Directions

1. Cook spaghetti as directed on package.
2. Drain spaghetti in colander and rinse with cool water. Let drain.
3. In a large salad bowl, add spaghetti, olives, tomatoes (fresh and sun-dried), artichoke hearts, and peas.
4. Drizzle desired amount of dressing over the top and toss together, covering all ingredients with dressing. If desired, you can serve dressing on the side instead of mixed in.
5. Grate fresh parmesan cheese over the top and serve.
6. Best served with a glass of your favorite wine.

Disclaimer - I am not affiliated with Ronzoni. I just love the look and taste of their Garden delight spaghetti noodles in this recipe.

All content and images are property of Sweet and Spicy Monkey. Please do not reprint this content without my permission. If you wish to include this recipe on your site, please re-write in your own words and use your own photographs and link back to this post for original recipe.

Follow Julie's board Sweet and Spicy Monkey on Pinterest.

 

Mediterranean Salad

The weathers warming up and bikini season draws closer, although we all wish it wouldn't come so fast! I mean there's so much I still have to do like pull the weeds in my garden, lay out some mulch, lose five more pounds, and bake some more yummies before it gets too hot to turn on my oven.

Wow, did you notice that? I just said lose five more pounds and bake some more yummies. Kind of ironic, don't ya think?

With all these warm days, there's so much to do and so little time to do it with not much time left to prepare lunch or dinner. Which is why this Mediterranean Salad has been my go to lunch salad for the last month.

I just love these Garlic stuffed olives!

I love the variety of flavors the olives bring to this dish. I've combined three different kinds of olives here with Kalamata Greek olives, black olives, and garlic stuffed colossal queen olives. Yes, garlic stuffed olives and they are delicious! Plus I added diced English cucumbers, artichoke hearts, and grape tomatoes with white Balsamic vinegar and olive oil drizzled over the top.

A quick and easy salad to make paired with cheese and crackers and a glass of your favorite wine makes for a delicious meal anytime.

Mediterranean Salad

Recipe by Julie Murphy

A deliciously light olive salad

Prep time: 10 minutes
Total time: 10 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients

• 1 can (5.75 ounces DR WT) whole large black olives, pitted
• 1 jar (7.5 ounces DR WT) Garlic stuffed olives
• 1 jar (9.5 ounces DR WT) Greek Kalamata olives, pitted
• 1 English cucumber, diced
• 1 - 10 ounce package grape tomatoes, washed (can also use cherry tomatoes)
• 2 cups artichoke hearts
• 2 Tablespoons white Balsamic vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• Sea salt & pepper to taste
• 1 Feta cheese to crumble over the top *(optional)

Directions

1. Add all ingredients into a large bowl.
2. Drizzle Balsamic vinegar and olive oil over the top.
3. Add salt & pepper to taste.
4. Mix all ingredients together and serve with cheese and crackers and a glass of your favorite wine.
5. Store in an airtight container up to 1 week.

All content and images are property of Sweet and Spicy Monkey. Please do not reprint this content without my permission. If you wish to include this recipe on your site, please re-write in your own words and use your own photographs and link back to this post for original recipe.

Follow Julie's board Sweet and Spicy Monkey on Pinterest.