This yummy Greek Pasta Salad recipe is a delicious cold pasta salad that’s so versatile. Serve it as a main dish, side dish, for summer parties or a healthy, light supper. This simple recipe is filled with cucumbers, olives, tomatoes, and feta cheese. You'll love the Greek Dressing too!
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Why this Recipe Works
It's quick and easy! Don't you just love 30 minutes recipes? Let's face it-sometimes we just don't want to spend hours fixing dinner or trying to figure out how to make a complicated dish. This recipe is simple to make-just prep a few ingredients, make the dressing, and toss it all together!
It's made with easy to find supermarket and pantry ingredients! You won't have any trouble finding the ingredients for this recipe. In fact, you may have most of them already in your panty or refrigerator.
It's fresh, light, and full of Mediterranean flavor! You'll love the fresh tomatoes, green peppers, cucumbers, and red onion in this salad. And there's no mayo to weigh you down. The light and tasty Greek dressing isn't just great here, but would be delicious on a green salad too.
It's easy to make ahead! This is my go-to meal, especially as the weather warms. Just prep ahead to have ready to go for a light lunch or dinner. It's also a great take-along meal for BBQ or potlucks.
What Goes Into the Recipe
How to Make Greek Pasta Salad
Cook pasta in heavily salted water according to package directions. Drain and rinse with a quick spray of cold water.
While pasta cooks, prep the veggies.
Add the drained pasta to a large bowl. Add the veggies and gently toss it all together.
Toss the mixture with Greek Dressing and sprinkle with feta cheese.
Expert Tips
Drain pasta well and give it a quick rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Don't oversaturate it though, just a splash or two. You want the dressing to stick. Pat it dry with paper towels if it's too wet.
In a big rush? Instead of slicing the tomatoes and olives, just throw them in whole. Shave a few minutes off your prep time for practically the same results.
Don't have Kalamata olives? No problem. Just substitute black olives or even green olives. While Kalamata olives will give you the most delicious Mediterranean flavor, it's just fine to substitute.
Use either English cucumbers or regular. Both varieties will work well, it's just a mater of preference. If using English, there is no need to peel or seed them. I prefer regular cucumbers peeled and seeded, but it's a step you can skip.
To make ahead, prepare the salad and leave in refrigerator until ready to serve. Toss with dressing right before serving. Refrigerate any leftovers. For best taste, let leftovers sit out for about 20-30 minutes before. Refresh with a drizzle of olive oil.
More Tasty Salads To Try
Citrus Salad with Blood Orange and Quinoa
Click here to check out all my yummy salad recipes!
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Greek Pasta Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb. short cut pasta such as rotini or macaroni
- 1-10.5 ounce cherry or grape tomatoes. halved
- 1 cucumber English or regular; sliced about ¼ inch thick, then cut into halves or quarters
- 1 and ½ cups kalamata olives halved
- 1 green bell pepper sliced thinly
- ¼ cup red onions sliced thinly
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
Greek Dressing
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic minced or pressed through a garlic press
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Prepare Greek Dressing; set aside.
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse with a quick spray of cold water. Set aside.
- While pasta cooks prepare vegetables: halve tomatoes and olives. Peel and remove seeds from cucumbers then slice into halves or quarters. Thinly slice green pepper and red onion.
- In a large mixing bowl, add pasta, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, bell pepper, and red onions.
- Pour Greek Dressing over salad mixture, tossing gently to coat.
- Sprinkle feta cheese on top.
Greek Dressing
- Add all ingredients to a mason jar and shake vigorously. If you don't have a mason jar, you can add all the ingredients (except olive oil) to a bowl and slowly whisk in the olive oil.
Shannon M
My family LOVED this pasta salad! This is was so quick, easy and inexpensive to make unlike most pasta salads. I’m looking forward to eating this again tomorrow because I know it will be even better after being in the fridge for a day! I will make this again. I added a little more green pepper, cucumber and doubled the dressing.
Nikole
Thank you Shannon-my husband says, yes, it's better the next day! lol. Your comment really made my day-thank you! I'd love for you to check out some more recipes and let me know what you think!
Ann Marie
Delicious! Grilled some ribeyes and served this with it.. perfect warm weather dinner!
Nikole
Thank you Ann Marie! I'm so glad you loved it. Now that's it's getting hot here in Texas, I think I will make it this week too!!
Muskaan @thetwincookingproject
This pasta salad looks terrific. Absolutely love the idea 🙂
Nikole
Thank you Muskaan! Hope you enjoy it!