1-First Step: Prepare Your Ingredients Begin by washing and chopping your veggies to ensure everything is fresh and ready. For instance, halve the cherry tomatoes and slice the cucumber into ¼-inch pieces, which helps them mix evenly and adds that crisp texture. At this stage, cook and cool 1 pound of rotini pasta as per package instructions, then rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking process it’s a small step that keeps the salad from getting mushy.

2-Second Step: Mix the Main Components Now, grab a large bowl and combine 3 cups of baby spinach, the cooled pasta, 1 ½ cups of cucumber, 1 pint of halved cherry tomatoes, 1 cup of pitted and halved kalamata olives, and ½ cup of thinly sliced red onion. Toss them gently to mix, which distributes the flavors and creates that colorful appeal. If you’re aiming for a gluten-free version, swap the pasta here for a gluten-free option to keep things inclusive.

3-Third Step: Make the Dressing In a separate small bowl, whisk together ½ cup extra virgin olive oil, 2 teaspoons minced garlic, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, ¼ cup red wine vinegar, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon ground black pepper. This creates a zesty dressing that coats everything perfectly, and you can adjust the garlic for a milder taste if needed. For those watching their sodium, reduce the salt slightly it’s an easy tweak for dietary preferences.

4-Fourth Step: Combine and Toss Pour the dressing over your mixed ingredients in the large bowl and toss until everything is evenly coated, which usually takes about a minute of gentle stirring. Add 6 ounces of crumbled feta cheese at this point for that creamy finish, and feel free to increase the spinach if you want more greens. This step is where the magic happens, blending flavors while keeping the salad light and fresh.

5-Final Step: Serve and Enjoy Once tossed, let the salad sit for a few minutes to let the flavors meld, then serve it up as a side or main dish. It’s ready in just 15 minutes total, making it ideal for pairing with grilled meats like burgers from our site check out grilled beef burgers for a perfect match. For more pasta salad ideas, try zesty smoked Gouda pasta salad to mix things up.