If you’ve been yearning for Zoe’s Kitchen pasta salad recipe, well I have some good news for you. Their fresh pasta salad, with simple ingredients might I add, was a favorite and now that the restaurant is no longer around, I’ve recreated it so you can make at home.
Full of juicy ripe tomatoes, fragrant basil, salty feta, and tender pasta, this light side dish comes together in less than 30 minutes — no mayo required (gasp!) It's the perfect way to put in-season summer tomatoes to good use and keep things feeling fresh and easy.
Before being franchised, the original Zoe's Kitchen opened up in Homewood, Alabama (a neighborhood in Birmingham)--right down the road from Southern Progress, where I worked. I lived in Birmingham for many years--right after culinary school and before I got married--and let me tell you: I probably went to Zoe's once or twice a week.
From their Greek salad recipe that had that yummy scoop of potato salad in the center, their chicken pita with Greek slaw and caramelized onions, to their no-fuss chicken salad, everything on the fast Mediterranean chain restaurant menu was fantastic. They also made my favorite pasta salad.
We even had Zoe's cater my son's baptism lunch when he was a baby. I truly loved the restaurant so much. So you can imagine how sad I was when they were bought out by Cava, and Zoe's as we know it went away.
What's a girl to do? Well, for starters, I thought I'd take a stab at recreating the super simple and fresh pasta salad I loved so much. I think you'll love that it's the ideal prep-ahead dish for potlucks, picnics, or quick weekday lunches since it holds up beautifully in the fridge and gets even better as the flavors hang out.
Plus, it’s endlessly versatile — you can easily toss in grilled chicken, chickpeas, or extra veggies if you like. Simple, and made for summer, this is a pasta salad you’ll be making on repeat, and my hope is that it'll satisfy that Zoe's craving too.
Serve it on the side of a bacon and ranch chicken salad sandwich along with some tangy broccoli salad and you've got the ultimate summertime lunch. Or, bring it to the potluck with my chocolate eclair cake and you'll be patting yourself on the back for making two prep-ahead recipes.
You can also just keep the Greek theme going and make an over-the top Mediterranean-inspired feast: Grill some chicken kabobs or shrimp kabobs, make a little side Greek salad, and add a scoop of hummus and some pita bread. Talk about a great option for an al fresco dinner!
This recipe is so easy and versatile, I just know you're going to love it. So are you ready to get started? Let's do it.
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Ingredients
Before we get started, let's gather the ingredients we need for this recipe:
- shell pasta
- feta cheese
- campari tomatoes
- fresh basil
- olive oil or extra virgin olive oil
- red wine vinegar
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
(See recipe card for quantities.)
Instructions
Now that we've got our ingredients, it's time to get cooking!
- First, cook the pasta in boiling salted water to al dente according to the package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.
- Then, whisk together the oil, vinegar, salt and pepper in a large bowl.
- Next, dice the tomatoes and add to the dressing in the bowl.
- Finally, add the pasta, feta, and basil to the bowl and toss to coat.
Hint: Be sure to save all those tomato juices when you dice them. They add so much flavor to the dressing!
Substitutions
Need to make some ingredient swaps? Here are some suggestions:
- Shell pasta - Instead of shell pasta, use another small shape. Elbow macaroni, orzo pasta, bowtie, fusilli, and rigatoni are all great options.
- Campari tomatoes - I love to use Campari tomatoes because they have reliable sweet flavor. Feel free to swap out Roma tomatoes, cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, or diced heirloom tomatoes.
- Crumbled feta cheese - For this recipe, I like to cut a block of feta cheese into small pieces. If you'd like, you can use crumbled feta.
- Cheese - If feta isn't your favorite, fresh mozzarella works great too. You can use small fresh mozzarella balls or cut a larger ball of mozzarella into bite-sized pieces.
- Red wine vinegar - Going with Zoe's Greek vibes and their signature red wine vinaigrette, I use red wine vinegar in this recipe but a lot of other vinegars are good too. Use balsamic, white wine, sherry, or apple cider vinegar if you prefer. Lemon juice is also a great substitute.
- Fresh basil - Fresh basil is the herb the original recipe uses but you can other fresh herbs if you'd like. Fresh dill is great as is fresh parsley and oregano. Or, add some chopped green onions instead.
Variations
Check out these additional ways to change up this recipe:
- Spicy - Like recipes with a little heat? Stir some crushed red pepper flakes into the vinaigrette to give this pasta salad a kick.
- Extra veggies - The great thing about this pasta salad recipe is that you can add whatever fresh veggies you have on hand. It's so versatile! Add some diced cucumber and bell peppers, some red onions, shredded carrots, zucchini...the options are endless.
- Main Dish Tomato, Basil, and Feta Salad - To make this a main dish salad, add your favorite protein. I love to add chopped cooked chicken, baked salmon, or steamed shrimp.
Equipment
Here's the equipment you'll need to make this recipe:
- pasta pot
- colander
- chef's knife
- dry measuring cup
- measuring spoon
- large bowl
- whisk
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
This recipe doesn't freeze well.
Tasty Tip
This is the perfect make-ahead side dish as the flavors only get better the longer it has to site. Note that the pasta shells will grow larger as they absorb the vinaigrette and tomato juices. If you need to moisten the pasta salad after it's sat over time, add a little more olive oil.
Frequently asked questions
Sadly, they don't exist anymore. Zoe's was franchised and then bought out and replaced by Cava.
Yes! Cooling the pasta is essential to make the best pasta salad. If you add the vegetables and herbs while the pasta is still hot, they'll wilt. Cooling also allows the pasta to absorb the dressing more evenly.
Yes! This helps stop the cooking process so the pasta won't be overcooked, and it rinses away the starch, preventing the noodles from sticking together.
You probably didn't salt the pasta water enough. This is crucial to seasoning the pasta salad. Add enough salt to the water to make it taste like the ocean.
You've likely either overcooked the pasta or perhaps you tossed the ingredients together when the pasta wasn't cooled.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with this Zoe's copycat pasta salad:
🍽Get the recipe
Tomato, Basil, and Feta Pasta Salad (Zoe's Copycat Recipe)
Equipment
- pasta pot
- colander
- chef's knife
- dry measuring cup
- measuring spoon
- large bowl
- whisk
Ingredients
- 8 ounces uncooked shell pasta
- 1 (8-ounce) block feta cheese, cut into small pieces
- 12 ounces Campari tomatoes
- ½ cup coarsely chopped fresh basil, plus more to garnish
- 3 tablespoon olive oil or extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in boiling salted water to al dente according to the package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside.
- Whisk together the oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
- Dice the tomatoes and add (with the juices) to the dressing in the bowl.
- Add the pasta, feta, and basil and toss to coat. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste and garnish with fresh basil. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Recipe guidelines and test kitchen tips
When developing and testing recipes, here are some key things that I do for more success in the kitchen:
- Be sure to use dry measuring cups for things like flour, sugar, and mayonnaise and a liquid measuring cup for things like water, milk, and broth.
- When measuring dry ingredients like flour and powdered sugar that can pack down, spoon the ingredient into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife as opposed to scooping the measuring cup into the ingredient.
- I test and develop recipes using a standard electric oven and standard gas stovetop. Be aware that if you use an electric stovetop or convection oven, your bake times will be different.
- When recipes call for kosher salt, I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
Food safety
Finally, don't forget to keep these food safety tips in mind when making this recipe.
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods.
- Never leave cooking food unattended.
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove.
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