Pasta Salad Cups (Print version)
Colorful mini pasta cups with veggies, feta, and a zesty olive oil vinaigrette—portable, crowd-pleasing bites.
# What you need:
→ Pasta
01 - 7 ounces (about 2 cups) short pasta such as mini shells, fusilli, or penne
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
03 - 1/2 cup cucumber, diced
04 - 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
06 - 1/4 cup black olives, sliced
07 - 1/4 cup sweet corn, optional
→ Cheese & Herbs
08 - 1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
→ Dressing
10 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
11 - 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
12 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
13 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
14 - Salt, to taste
15 - Black pepper, to taste
# Directions:
01 - Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente following package instructions. Drain thoroughly, rinse under cold water to halt cooking, and allow to cool completely.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper until combined.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, combine cooled pasta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, black olives, and corn if using.
04 - Pour the prepared dressing over the salad mixture and toss gently until all ingredients are evenly coated.
05 - Fold in crumbled feta cheese and chopped basil, mixing with care to maintain texture of the cheese.
06 - Spoon the salad evenly into 8 small clear serving cups.
07 - Top each serving with an additional basil leaf or small cube of feta as desired.
08 - Serve the cups chilled or at room temperature for optimal flavor.
# Expert advice:
01 -
- No more juggling giant bowls at parties — everyone gets their own brilliant bite.
- Packed with veggies and flavor, these are a bright hit that even picky eaters will happily grab.
02 -
- If you dress the salad while the pasta’s still steaming, it soaks up too much and goes limp—let it cool first.
- Mixing the feta in at the end keeps everything neat and the cheese from disappearing into the salad.
03 -
- Let the salad rest for fifteen minutes before serving—the flavors become bolder and more harmonious.
- A squeeze of lemon over the finished cups brightens everything and makes the colors pop.