Mike's Chilled Greek Feta Salad. Great recipe for Mike's Chilled Greek Feta Salad. This incredibly easy, absolutely delicious and versatile colorful summertime salad pairs great with most any main dish. It's chilly, crispy, cheesy, tangy and toothy!
Ingredients of Mike's Chilled Greek Feta Salad. by obrienbess.
Probably the best salad I've ever had!
Fresh cucumbers and tomatoes tossed in a simple vinaigrette, sprinkled with lots of feta.
You can cook Mike's Chilled Greek Feta Salad using 17 ingredients and 8 steps. Here is how you achieve that.
Ingredients of Mike's Chilled Greek Feta Salad
- You need of Greek Feta Salad.
- It's 1 box (12 oz) of Multi Colored Rotini Pasta.
- It's 2 (8 oz) of Boxes ATHENOS Feta Cheese Chunks [1/4" chop].
- Prepare 5 oz of Shreadded Parmesan Cheese.
- It's 1/4 Cup of Sun Dried Tomatoes [in oil - chopped].
- It's 1 can of Artichokes In Water [drained - chopped].
- You need 1/2 of large Red - Green - Yellow - Orange Bell Pepper [chopped].
- It's 1 can of Black Olives [drained - sliced in half].
- Prepare 1 of large Cucumber [peeled - chopped].
- You need 1 (10.5 oz) of Cherry Tomatoes [sliced in half].
- You need 1/2 cup of Chopped Green Onions.
- It's 1 of Purple Onion [chopped].
- It's 1/2 Bunch of Fresh Parsley [rough chop].
- It's 1 of Fresh Cracked Black Pepper [to taste].
- Prepare 2 tbsp of Fresh Basil [optional].
- Prepare 1 cup of Banana Peppers [optional].
- You need 2 (16 oz) of Bottles Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing [reserve one bottle].
It's so easy and is the perfect last minute side dish for dinner or summer barbecues. In a serving bowl, combine the cucumber, tomato, green pepper, onions, olives and feta cheese. In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the dressing ingredients; shake well. Drizzle over salad and toss to coat.
Mike's Chilled Greek Feta Salad instructions
- Clean, chop and drain all vegetables. Refrigerate until pasta is ready and cooled down..
- Chop Feta Cheese chunks in semi large chunks and add to vegetables. They will fall apart slightly when mixed with the dressing..
- Shred Parmesan Cheese if not already shreadded..
- Bring a large pot of water to a steady boil and add 1/2 tsp salt and a splash of oil. Pour pasta into boiling water, stirring occasionally and cover for 8 minutes. Or, as per box directions. I'll boil my noodles al dente [just under manufacturers directions] for a toothier chew..
- Drain noodles and place pasta in a large bowl. Immediately add your entire bottle of Italian Dressing to your pasta and mix well. This step is important. Especially if you're serving this dish the same day. Your pasta will instantly begin to absorb your dressing while hot. Allow pasta to cool naturally on the counter..
- Also another great dressing option!.
- After pasta has cooled off - add all of your chopped chilled vegetables and cheeses. Gently fold them in. Refrigerate salad for several hours - gently mixing occasionally. As needed - add your reserved bottle of dressing if you feel your salad is firming up too much with the addition of cheese..
- Authors Notes: #1: I've tried the most expensive Italian Dressings and most of the more cost effective ones. One of the best I've found to date is Kraft Zesty Italian for flavor and price. #2: The flavor of this salad is exponentially better the following day. #3: Stir entire batch of salad from the base upwards each time before serving dishes for best flavor. Enjoy!.
Salty feta cheese and olives are the perfect flavor balance to sweet, caramelized butternut squash in this simple, satisfying side dish. Bulk the salad up with rotisserie chicken and serve over bulgur, rice, or couscous for a hearty fall entree. Greek feta is briny, tangy, and sharp, and the fine texture makes it perfect to crumble in salads, sprinkle on cold soups, or toss into some rigatoni with sausage, beans, and greens. Ina Garten makes her Greek Salad recipe. She begins by making homemade vinaigrette, which includes half a cup of olive oil, a quarter cup of red wine vinegar, half a teaspoon of Dijon mustard, one.