This basil, feta, and roasted red pepper trofie salad is a delightful fusion of flavors that will take your taste buds on a journey. With colorful ingredients and satisfying textures, this pasta salad is perfect for picnics, potlucks, or as a refreshing side dish on a warm summer day.
Introducing a vibrant and mouthwatering pasta salad that combines the freshness of basil, the tanginess of feta cheese, and the smoky sweetness of roasted red peppers. The dressing is not a traditional pesto recipe. We swap the parmesan for feta, include honey, and drop the pine nuts. It works perfectly in this dish.
Whether you’re a fan of Mediterranean-inspired cuisine or simply looking for a new twist on traditional pasta salads, this basil feta, and roasted red pepper trofie pasta salad is sure to become a favorite in your kitchen. Let’s dive in and discover how to create this vibrant and irresistible dish!
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Ingredients
- Fresh basil – I love the full plant you can buy at the grocery store.
- Feta – use a fresh block of feta that’s stored in water, not the pre-crumbled kind. You will also be using a bit of the water too!
- Roasted red peppers – I prefer jarred to homemade here.
- Broccoli – blanched and chopped.
- Spinach – diced up leaves.
- Pasta – I used trofie noodles here.
- Lemon juice – always fresh
- Honey – just a little sweetness to balance the tart feta and spicy raw garlic
- Seasonings – salt, pepper flakes, fresh garlic, and fresh shallot
- Olive oil – the base of the dressing
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make this Basil, Feta, and Roasted Red Pepper Trofie Pasta Salad
- Boil the trofie and blanche the broccoli. In a large pot, boil the pasta and add the broccoli with two minutes left to spare. Drain both broccoli and pasta, set aside.
- Make the dressing. Combine all dressing ingredients to a food processor or blender and mix for about a minute or until a smooth consistency has been reached.
- Prepare the mix ins. Chop the spinach, dice the roasted red pepper, and crumble the feta.
- Assemble the salad. To a large bowl, add the trofie pasta and broccoli, spinach, roasted red pepper, and feta. Pour over the dressing and mix until combined. Serve and enjoy!
Variations and Substitutions
This recipe is so tasty as is, but these would be some ways you can make this pasta salad your own.
- Dressing – I tested the dressing recipe out with a few different ratios and ingredients and this remains my favorite. However, if you wanted to add a handful of spinach or even some of the blanched broccoli to the dressing, feel free to do so! Adding broccoli to the dressing is a good way to hide it!
- Roasted red peppers – feel free to roast your own bell peppers. I find the jarred variety to have a stronger flavor than what I roast on my own
- Added vegetables – sliced red onions, choppepd olives, or sliced sauteed zucchini would all taste great in this pasta salad.
- Cheese – Feta is used in both the dressing and the pasta salad. It’s harder to replace in the dressing, but in the salad, feel free to add mozzarella, parmesan, or your other favorite cheese to the tossed salad.
- Noodles – I am using trofie pasta noodles here, which is traditionally served with pesto. If you can’t find trofie, gemelli, bow-ties, fusilli, or even orzo will work instead.
Storage
This salad works wonderfully to make ahead and store for days. See below for details on both.
Make Ahead
You can prepare this salad days in advance. I would recommend the following:
- Assemble the cooked pasta, broccoli and roasted red peppers together ahead of time
- Prepare the dressing days ahead of time
- Add the feta, spinach, and dressing to the pasta portion when ready to serve
Storing
While this salad tastes best the day it is assembled, you can store this pasta salad for up to 5 days!
Related Recipes
- Zucchini, Feta, and Orzo salad
- Green Goddess Pasta Salad
- Elote-Inspired Pasta Salad
- Easy Pesto Ricotta Pasta
Lastly, if you do make this Basil, Feta, and Roasted Red Pepper Trofie Pasta Salad (then first of all, thank you!!), be sure to rate this recipe and leave a comment and rating below! It would also mean the world to me if you tagged me on Instagram or TikTok so I can see your creations.
📖 Recipe
Basil, Feta, and Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Dressing
- 2 cups basil leaves from one entire plant from grocery store
- ½ lemon juiced
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ¼ cup feta 40g
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes
- ½ shallot
- 1 small clove garlic
- ¼ cup Olive oil
- 2 tablespoon feta water or more as preferred
Pasta Salad
- 8 oz trofie or other short pasta
- 1 ¼ cup diced jarred roasted red peppers (about 3-4 peppers), sliced
- 2 cups chopped spinach
- 2 cups broccoli blanched and chopped
- ⅔ cup feta crumbled
- ½ Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes, optional
Instructions
- In a large pot, boil the trofie (or other pasta) in salted water according to package instructions. While boiling, add the broccoli into the same pot. Cook the broccoli for 90 seconds – 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, pull the broccoli out and drain. Alternatively, add the broccoli when the pasta has 2 minutes left, and drain both together.
- While boiling, make the dressing. Combine all dressing ingredients to a food processor and blend on high for about 1 minute or until desired consistency is reached. Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking.
- Compile the salad. Allow the noodles to cool for a few minutes, then add to a large bowl. Add the diced roasted red peppers, broccoli, spinach, feta, and dressing to the bowl. Mix until thoroughly combined. Option to sprinkle some Aleppo pepper on top. Serve and enjoy.
Very easy to make. I brought it to family dinner at my sister’s house and she could not stop complimenting it! Ha ha. Will be making again.