Pasta Salad Cups (Printable)

Mini pasta salads in cups with veggies, tangy dressing and feta—portable party bites served chilled or room temp.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 7 ounces 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 and 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 - Cook pasta according to package directions in salted water until al dente. Drain thoroughly, rinse under cold water, and set aside to cool.
02 - In a small bowl, combine olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Whisk until emulsified.
03 - Add cooled pasta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, black olives, and corn into a large mixing bowl.
04 - Pour prepared dressing over the salad mixture and toss gently until all components are evenly coated.
05 - Fold in crumbled feta cheese and chopped basil, mixing carefully to maintain the integrity of the cheese.
06 - Divide salad evenly into 8 small clear serving cups.
07 - Garnish each serving with additional basil or a small cube of feta if desired.
08 - Serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Cooking Tips:

01 -
  • These pasta salad cups mean no more battles for the serving spoon, and every guest gets their fair share.
  • The mix of feta, crisp veggies, and tangy dressing wakes up even the simplest pasta and always draws compliments.
02 -
  • If you forget to chill the pasta before mixing, the warm noodles will wilt the veggies and dull the flavors.
  • Whisking the dressing for that extra minute until creamy keeps the salad from tasting oily or flat—don’t rush it.
03 -
  • Salting the pasta water generously makes every bite taste seasoned, even after chilling the noodles.
  • A tiny pinch of sugar in the dressing can highlight the veggies if they’re out of season.

Go Back