Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil, then add the penne and cook according to package directions until just barely tender—usually 10 to 12 minutes. I always taste a piece at 10 minutes because overcooked pasta turns mushy in this easy cold pasta kids dish, and nobody wants that texture. Drain immediately and spread on a clean baking sheet to cool slightly instead of dumping it back into the hot pot.

While the pasta still has warmth, drizzle the olive oil and lemon juice over the top, then sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Toss gently to coat every piece because the warm noodles absorb the dressing much better than cold ones do—this is the part most recipes skip, which is why their versions taste flat. You should smell the lemon immediately, which means you're doing it right.

Let the dressed pasta cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes, while you prep everything else. I use this time to dice the cucumber, halve the cherry tomatoes, chop the red bell pepper, and crumble the feta into bite-sized pieces. Keep everything separate at this stage so the cucumber doesn't start releasing water into the pasta before serving.

Once the pasta has cooled, add the cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, and black olives to the bowl. I fold everything together gently using a wooden spoon because aggressive stirring breaks the pasta and bruises the tomatoes. The cold pasta salad family summer recipe should look colorful and fresh at this point, not mashed together.

Stir in the crumbled feta and fresh parsley at the very last moment before serving or storing. These two ingredients get watery if they sit too long in the dressing, so save them for the end. Taste the whole thing and adjust salt and lemon juice to your preference—you might want more brightness than I've called for.

Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes so the flavors marry together, then give it a quick stir before serving. The quick cookout dish actually improves by day two because the flavors deepen and the textures stay surprisingly crisp. I've kept this salad fresh for four days in a sealed container, though we never have leftovers past day two at our house.