Pasta Salad with Feta and Herbs

Name: Pasta Salad with Feta and Herbs
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 1 pound uncooked penne pasta; 5 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (about 1 1/4 cups); 1/2 cup buttermilk; 1/4 cup mayonnaise (such as Duke’s); 2 tablespoons Louisiana-style hot sauce (such as Crystal); 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest plus 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 lemons); 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt; 1 teaspoon grated garlic; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 4 cups torn mixed tender fresh herbs (such as basil, mint, dill, and chives); 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced celery; 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved; 1/2 red onion, cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced (about 1 cup); 3/4 cup salted roasted sunflower seed kernels

1 Rating
2 Reviews

This Southern-inspired pasta salad from Mason Hereford’s Turkey and the Wolf gets a touch of tangy heat from hot sauce, loads of crunch from nutty sunflower seeds. Use Duke’s mayonnaise for an extra-tangy bite to the dressing. This colorful, eclectic pasta will fit in well with any picnic or cookout spread.

By Mason Hereford

August 2020

Gallery

Credit: Eric Wolfinger

Recipe Summary

total:

25 mins

Yield:

Directions

Step 1
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse pasta under cold running water; drain well.

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Step 2
While pasta cooks, stir together feta, buttermilk, mayonnaise, hot sauce, lemon zest and juice, salt, garlic, and black pepper in a medium bowl.
Step 3
Transfer pasta to a large serving bowl. Add buttermilk dressing, torn herbs, celery, tomatoes, red onion, and sunflower seeds, and toss well.

Make Ahead

Pasta salad can be made 1 day ahead and stored in an airtight container in refrigerator. Toss with herbs just before serving.

Notes

Stir 1 tablespoon plain whole-milk Greek yogurt into 7 tablespoons milk as a substitute for buttermilk in this recipe.

Suggested Pairing

Full-bodied California Chardonnay.

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Food & Wine Member

08/15/2021

LOVE this recipe. I did not find it too spicy or sour. It’s tangy and rich from the buttermilk, the hot sauce adds brightness. If you don’t like spice, I would recommend adding a touch of lemon juice with the zest. Tomatoes and herbs keep everything interesting. This is not a one note salad. I have added leftover corn and chicken. I will keep making this again and again.

slachance08

08/03/2020

I made this to take to a picnic and I ended up not taking it. I followed the recipe exactly and all I could taste was the sour, vinegary flavor from the Crystal hot sauce. I'm not sure if the recipe has an error and it should be two teaspoons instead of two tablespoons, but as written its overpowering. I would potentially consider making this again and but will omit the hot sauce and also reduce the amount of herbs.

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Pasta Salad with Feta and Herbs

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Recipe Summary

Ingredients

Directions

Make Ahead

Notes

Suggested Pairing

Reviews (2)

All Reviews for Pasta Salad with Feta and Herbs

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Pasta Salad with Feta and Herbs

Gallery

Recipe Summary

Ingredients

Directions

Make Ahead

Notes

Suggested Pairing

Reviews (2)

All Reviews for Pasta Salad with Feta and Herbs