Ingredients:

  • 1 lb rotini pasta
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 2 cups fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
  • 1 cup English cucumber, diced
  • 1 cup red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Instructions:

  1. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil.
  2. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, typically 1-2 minutes less than package directions.
  3. Drain the pasta in a colander and toss immediately with 1 tbsp of olive oil to prevent clumping; let it cool to room temperature.
  4. In a mason jar, combine the 1/2 cup olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and maple syrup.
  5. Shake the jar vigorously for 30 seconds until the dressing is creamy and unified.
  6. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta, diced cucumber, red pepper, cherry tomatoes, and red onion.
  7. Pour the prepared dressing over the vegetables and pasta.
  8. Fold in the chopped parsley and crumbled feta cheese until well combined.