Easy Greek Pasta Salad [+ Video]

A fresh and easy Greek Pasta Salad just in time for summer! This crowd-pleasing side dish is tasty for backyard barbecues. Curly pasta to trap the dressing is essential, then load it up with a variety of olives, fresh cucumber and more!

This easy Greek pasta salad recipe is all about one thing: the chunks of feta cheese. Yes, I love the chewy pasta, the crunch of the fresh veggies, and the tangy dressing. It’s basically summer in a bowl, colorful and fresh.

But honestly? It’s all about the feta for me. Every time I see someone on the Food Network making a salad with chunks of feta cheese, I vow to stop what I’m doing and immediately follow their lead. And now, you can too.

This is one Greek pasta salad your guests will rave about! It is simply the BEST with your favorite summery grilled meats (find my favorite grilled chicken recipe here) or at any potluck or picnic you are attending.

What’s Needed for Greek Pasta Salad?

The red wine vinaigrette is so simple and flavorful, you can throw it together right before you need it. And it comes together in minutes with just a few pantry ingredients. Save the recipe because you’ll want it on all your other salads, too!

For the Greek Dressing:

• Olive Oil
• Red Wine Vinegar
• Garlic
• Dried Oregano
• Lemon Zest and Lemon Juice
• Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

I love the classic combination of cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, and olives. Since grocery store tomatoes can be unpredictable, I go with my favorite brand of grape or cherry tomatoes and slice them lengthwise. I also use red onion and kalamata olives, but you are welcome to substitute your favorite onions and olives.

For the Pasta Salad:

• Rotini Pasta
• English Cucumber
• Diced Bell Pepper
• Sliced Red Onion
• Grape Tomatoes
• Feta Cheese
• Kalamata Olives

The measurements and details for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.

How to Make Greek Pasta Salad

This feta and cucumber pasta salad couldn’t be easier to make! Here are the basic steps to making this simple pasta salad recipe:

Easy 5 Minute Lemon Feta Grilled Asparagus Recipe

Lemon Grilled Asparagus with Feta is a vibrant, flavorful side dish that’s both refreshing and savory! Fresh asparagus spears are perfectly grilled with a zesty lemon dressing, creating a smoky char. Topped with crumbled feta cheese, this dish adds a creamy, tangy contrast to the bright, crisp asparagus.

This easy 5 minute grilled (or broiled) asparagus recipe has a short ingredient list and even shorter cook time, but it’s our kids’ favorite side dish!

Recipe Origins

Remember how I used to be picky? Well, immediately after we had our first daughter we moved to California. California is beautiful, amazing weather (we lived in San Diego) and they have awesome produce. Which is great, unless you’re me and you don’t really care for all of those weird vegetables. Remember, this is the old me, the new me will devour veggies faster than anything else. Anyway, we had dinner at my sister in law’s house and I was informed she was making a really easy grilled lemon pepper asparagus recipe…

Dun, dun, duuuuuuuuun! How in the heck was I going to get out of this one?! We were all going to be eating dinner together in the backyard for heaven’s sake!!!! Wait, there was a dog. I for sure could slip one to the dog. Nope, I already was feeling sneaky and knew I couldn’t pretend to eat something and feed it to the dog without feeling horribly guilty. I was going to have to suck it up. And suck it up I did, and it was good. It was real good. And so began my veggie journey. That day I learned that grilled asparagus is phenomenal and since then I’ve converted my mother who always said asparagus was like a nasty weed growing by an old ditch. And now she even loves it. Booyah, baby!

Ingredients for Lemon Pepper Asparagus

You only need 6 ingredients to make this easy vegetable side dish! The olive oil helps the asparagus get a nice char on it and it also helps the seasonings cling to the asparagus. Here is everything you need:

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Lemon Zest and Juice
• Asparagus
• Salt and Black Pepper
• Feta Cheese
  • TIP: If you aren’t a feta fan, parmesan cheese makes a great substitute!

The measurements and details for all the ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.

How to Buy the Best Asparagus

Buying the best and freshest asparagus doesn’t need to be complicated. We have a few tips that will help you pick the best bundle of asparagus.

First, check the tips. They should be pretty firm to the touch and mushy at all.

Next, check the stalks. They should not be soft or rubbery at all.

Finally, check the ends. Even though we will be trimming the ends off, they are a good indicator of the freshness of the asparagus spears. You don’t want the ends to be woody, shriveled or split.

One more tip for buying asparagus, try to av

Copycat Café Rio Cilantro Lime Rice [+ Video]

Craving the fresh, zesty flavor of Café Rio’s cilantro lime rice? This copycat recipe brings the perfect balance of fluffy rice, tangy lime, and aromatic cilantro, making it the ideal side dish for tacos, burritos, or even just a delicious bowl on its own. With a few simple ingredients, you can recreate that vibrant, savory taste at home.

*This is a sponsored post due to my partnership with the Utah Dairy Council.

I’ve found that when I make Mexican food lately I really want rice and beans with it, just like the restaurants do. I didn’t used to care, but I’ve really grown to like the rice and beans. We especially love how easy this rice is. There’s a touch of butter in the rice too. Let’s not forget that. A little dairy can totally change a dish for the better. True story.

I’ll include a whole section below for recreating a whole Café Rio meal that includes this easy rice recipe! Mmmm…now I’m craving some Café Rio!

Ingredients for Cilantro Lime Rice

Whether you’re planning to eat this rice as a side dish for some chicken fajitas or as the base for burrito bowls, you’re family is going to love it! Let’s jump further into the all the ingredients you will need!

• Rice: Just regular long-grain white rice will work great. Jasmine rice and basmati rice would also work.
• Water: used to cook the rice
• Unsalted Butter: adds richness and flavor
• Chicken Bouillon: Adds flavor to the rice as it simmer.
• Garlic: Fresh minced garlic will give you the best flavor.
• Cilantro: You can’t have too much fresh cilantro in my opinion, so grab a bundle from the produce section of the grocery store and chop it up.
• Lime: Fresh lime juice is definitely preferred, but if you don’t have lime, the bottled lime juice will work.
• Diced Green Chiles: I like to leave the juice in for added flavor. You can dial up the spice here with medium or hot canned chiles. We stick with mild in our house.

The measurements and details for each recipe can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.

How to Make Cilantro Lime Rice on the Stove Top

I almost always cook rice on the stove top these days. I used to be loyal to the rice cooker, but as time has gone on, I’ve found myself enjoying being a little more hands on with rice. It takes a tiny bit more work, but for me, it’s worth it. Here are the steps for making this cilantro lime rice recipe including a photo of each s

Elote Grilled Mexican Corn Salad [+Video]

Stop ruining your corn! If you’re just eating it off the cob, you’re missing out. This easy Grilled Mexican Corn Salad takes summer corn to the next level! It’s perfect for potlucks, BBQs, and parties!

Mexican Street Corn Salad Recipe

Have you ever had Elote? It’s a popular Mexican street food featuring grilled corn on the cob slathered in creamy sauce, topped with crumbled cheese, chili powder, and a squeeze of lime. And let me tell you, if you’re not careful, you might find yourself channeling your inner Nacho Libre while devouring it.

Now, enter Elote Grilled Mexican Corn Salad! All the flavors of street corn without the mess. Juicy grilled corn, tossed with Mexican crema, cotija cheese, chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, fresh lime juice, red onion, and cilantro! Every bite is bold, tangy, and downright addictive.

The key here is charring the corn just right. Too little, and you miss that smoky flavor; too much, and you’re eating burnt disappointment.

We first fell in love with elote at a tiny farmers’ market in Idaho (yes, Idaho!). Now, we make this salad at home all the time. It’s perfect for BBQs, potlucks, or just eating straight from the bowl with a spoon.

Want the best results? Use fresh corn, don’t skimp on the lime juice, and mix while the corn is warm so the flavors really soak in. Oh, and whatever you do—don’t skip the cotija. Trust me, it makes all the difference.

What’s Needed for Mexican Corn Salad?

Stop Bringing Boring Sides to Potlucks! This Mexican Corn Salad Is What You NEED! Here’s what you’ll need to make it:

• Fresh sweet corn
• Crema
• Lime juice
• Spices (cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper)
• Cotija cheese
• Red onion
• Fresh cilantro

The measurements for each ingredient can be found on the recipe card at the end of this post.

How to Avoid Mushy Corn:

Nobody wants a sad, mushy corn salad! The biggest mistake? Overcooking the corn until it loses its crisp bite. Whether you’re grilling or roasting, cook the corn just enough to get a nice char while keeping it firm.

Tip: Let the corn cool slightly before cutting it off the cob. This helps it stay juicy and keeps your salad from turning into a mushy mess!

What’s the Best Cheese for Elote Corn Salad?

What cheese should you use for elote corn? Oh boy, this is a tricky question because to be honest, even if there’s one that’s usually used, Chihuahua cheese or Cotija Cheese, not everywhere sells it. We most often use Cotija cheese because it’s available in all Utah stores, but if you can’t find either we recommend parmesan cheese in the can or fresh parmesan, or even a mild Feta.

read more: Looking for easy potluck