Pasta Salad with Cucumbers, Tomatoes and Red Onion

Name: Pasta Salad with Cucumbers, Tomatoes and Red Onion
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 48 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 16 oz (454 g) dried rotini pasta; 4 quarts (3800 ml) water for boiling the pasta; 2 tablespoons (20 g) kosher salt (Diamond Crystal), for the pasta water; 1 large (about 12 oz) (350 g) English cucumber, washed, halved lengthwise, then sliced into ¼-inch (6 mm) half-moons; 1 pint (about 10 oz) (300 g) grape or cherry tomatoes, halved (quartered if large); 1 medium (about 5 oz) (150 g) red onion, halved and sliced into very thin half-moons; ¼ cup (15 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves and tender stems, finely chopped; 4 oz (113 g) feta cheese, crumbled (optional); ⅓ cup (80 ml) red wine vinegar; ½ cup (120 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 1 tablespoon (15 g) Dijon mustard; 1 large clove (4 g) garlic, peeled and finely grated; 1 teaspoon (4 g) granulated sugar; 1 teaspoon (1 g) dried oregano; 1 teaspoon (3 g) kosher salt (Diamond Crystal), plus more to taste; black pepper, freshly ground, to taste (about ½ teaspoon)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A bright, crisp American-style pasta salad: tender rotini tossed with juicy tomatoes, cool cucumber and red onion mellowed in a tangy red wine vinaigrette. It's easy to make ahead and ideal for picnics, cookouts and potlucks.

Prep: 30 min
Cook: 18 min
Wait: 45 min
Total: 1 hr 33 min
Makes: About 10 cups (8 side-dish servings)

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Ingredients

8 servings

For the salad
16 oz (454 g) dried rotini pasta
4 quarts (3800 ml) water for boiling the pasta
2 tablespoons (20 g) kosher salt (Diamond Crystal), for the pasta water
1 large (about 12 oz) (350 g) English cucumber, washed, halved lengthwise, then sliced into ¼-inch (6 mm) half-moons
1 pint (about 10 oz) (300 g) grape or cherry tomatoes, halved (quartered if large)
1 medium (about 5 oz) (150 g) red onion, halved and sliced into very thin half-moons
¼ cup (15 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves and tender stems, finely chopped
4 oz (113 g) feta cheese, crumbled (optional)
For the dressing
⅓ cup (80 ml) red wine vinegar
½ cup (120 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon (15 g) Dijon mustard
1 large clove (4 g) garlic, peeled and finely grated
1 teaspoon (4 g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon (1 g) dried oregano
1 teaspoon (3 g) kosher salt (Diamond Crystal), plus more to taste
black pepper, freshly ground, to taste (about ½ teaspoon)

Equipment (8)

6-quart (5.5 L) pot
Large colander
Large mixing bowl (5-quart / 4.7 L or bigger)
Medium bowl or jar for the dressing
Chef's knife and cutting board
Whisk or lidded jar
Microplane or fine grater (for the garlic)
Measuring cups and spoons

Steps

Before you start

Plan for about 1½ hours in total, including 15 minutes of cooling and at least 30 minutes of chilling.
Use a large pot (at least 6 quarts / 5.5 L) so the pasta cooks evenly, and a large bowl (at least 5 quarts / 4.7 L) so you can toss without spilling.
Wash and dry the cucumber and tomatoes before you start. Wet vegetables will water down the dressing.
Check the package time for your rotini and start tasting 1 minute before it. You want al dente, not soft.

1
Prep the vegetables
- Slice the cucumber into ¼-inch (6 mm) half-moons.
- Halve the grape tomatoes, or quarter them if they are large.
- Cut the red onion in half through the root, then slice it into very thin half-moons.
- Chop the parsley.
- Set the cucumber, tomatoes and parsley aside in the fridge while you make the dressing.
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Ready when: Onion slices are paper-thin and the tomatoes are cut into similar-sized pieces.
Tip: Keep the tomatoes and cucumber separate from the onion for now. The onion gets its own soak in the next step.
2
Whisk dressing, soak onion
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the red wine vinegar, Dijon, grated garlic, sugar, oregano, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and the pepper.
- Slowly pour in the olive oil while whisking.
- Keep whisking until the dressing looks thick and creamy, with no oil slick on top.
- Stir in the sliced red onion and let it sit while the pasta cooks.
- The vinegar softens the onion's sharp bite.
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Ready when: Dressing is emulsified and looks creamy, and the onion is coated.
Tip: A jar with a tight lid works too: shake for 15 seconds, then pour into the bowl.
3
Boil the water
- Pour 4 quarts (3.8 L) of water into a 6-quart pot.
- Cover and bring to a full rolling boil over high heat.
- Stir in 2 tablespoons kosher salt.
- The water should taste noticeably salty, because the pasta absorbs it and it is your main seasoning for the pasta itself.
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Ready when: Large bubbles break across the whole surface of the water.
4
Cook the rotini
- Add the rotini to the boiling water and stir right away so it doesn't stick.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, or 1 minute less than the package time suggests.
- Pull out a piece and bite it at 9 minutes.
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Ready when: The pasta is tender but still has a slight bite, with a faint white dot of raw center at most.
Tip: Pasta softens a little more as it sits in the dressing, so aim for slightly firm.
5
Drain and rinse
- Drain the pasta in a colander and give it a quick rinse under cold running water for about 20 seconds, tossing it, to stop the cooking and remove surface starch.
- Shake the colander hard for 10 seconds, then let the pasta drain for 1 minute more.
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Ready when: Pasta feels cool to the touch, with no water pooling in the colander.
Tip: Drain well. Leftover water on the pasta dilutes the dressing and makes the salad bland.
6
Dress the pasta
- Add the drained pasta to the bowl with the dressing and onion.
- Toss with a large spoon for about 1 minute so every piece is coated.
- Leave the bowl on the counter for 15 minutes, tossing once halfway through, so the pasta takes up some of the dressing.
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Ready when: The pasta looks glossy and the pool of dressing at the bottom of the bowl has shrunk.
Tip: Adding the tomatoes while the pasta is still warm makes them soft and watery, so wait until it cools.
7
Fold in vegetables
- Add the cucumber, tomatoes, parsley and feta, if using.
- Fold gently with a spatula 8 to 10 times, just until everything is evenly mixed.
- Taste a piece of pasta with a tomato and a cucumber slice, then add a pinch more salt or pepper if needed.
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Ready when: Vegetables are evenly spread through the pasta and the tomatoes are still whole.
Tip: Fold gently, because rough stirring bursts the tomatoes.
8
Chill the salad
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours, so the flavors blend and the salad gets cold and crisp.
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Ready when: Salad is cold all the way through when you taste a piece from the center of the bowl.
9
Refresh and serve
- Stir the salad well, scooping up the dressing from the bottom.
- The pasta will have absorbed some of it, so if it looks dry, drizzle in 1 to 2 teaspoons of olive oil and a splash of red wine vinegar (about 1 teaspoon).
- Taste once more for salt, then serve cold or cool.
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Ready when: The salad is glossy and well coated, and tastes bright and tangy, not flat.
Tip: Cold dulls flavor, so a final pinch of salt and splash of vinegar after chilling makes a big difference.

Good to know

Tips

Season the pasta water well. Unsalted pasta tastes flat even when the dressing is good.
Rinse the pasta with cold water only for a salad. Unlike hot dishes, you don't need starch to help a sauce cling, and it stops the pasta from turning gummy.
Hold back a little dressing to refresh the salad before serving. Pasta keeps absorbing it as it sits.
For a milder onion, soak the slices in cold water for 10 minutes first, then drain and pat dry before adding them to the dressing.

Make ahead

"You can make the salad up to 1 day ahead. Cook and dress the pasta (steps 1–6), then refrigerate it covered. Keep the cucumber, tomatoes, parsley and feta separate in a container. Fold them in up to 2 hours before serving, then refresh with a little oil and vinegar."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: up to 2 hours (1 hour if outdoors above 90°F / 32°C). Fridge: airtight container for up to 3 days. The cucumber and tomatoes soften after day 2. Freezer: not recommended, because the vegetables turn watery and mushy when thawed. Serve straight from the fridge, with a quick stir and a small drizzle of oil and vinegar to refresh."

Substitutions

dried rotini pasta → Fusilli, farfalle, penne or medium shells. Use the same weight (16 oz / 454 g). Any short pasta with ridges or curls holds dressing well.
red wine vinegar → White wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar. Use the same amount. Cider vinegar tastes a little fruitier and sweeter.
feta cheese → Small fresh mozzarella balls (ciliegine) or grated Parmesan. Use 4 oz (113 g) of mozzarella, halved, or ½ cup (45 g) of Parmesan. Add vegan cheese or skip it for a dairy-free salad.
English cucumber → Regular slicing cucumber. Peel it, halve it lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with a spoon before slicing, so the salad doesn't turn watery.