Easy Greek Pasta Salad [+ Video]
A fresh and easy Greek Pasta Salad just in time for summer! This crowd-pleasing side dish is tasty for backyard barbecues. Curly pasta to trap the dressing is essential, then load it up with a variety of olives, fresh cucumber and more!
This easy Greek pasta salad recipe is all about one thing: the chunks of feta cheese. Yes, I love the chewy pasta, the crunch of the fresh veggies, and the tangy dressing. It’s basically summer in a bowl, colorful and fresh.
But honestly? It’s all about the feta for me. Every time I see someone on the Food Network making a salad with chunks of feta cheese, I vow to stop what I’m doing and immediately follow their lead. And now, you can too.
This is one Greek pasta salad your guests will rave about! It is simply the BEST with your favorite summery grilled meats (find my favorite grilled chicken recipe here) or at any potluck or picnic you are attending.
What’s Needed for Greek Pasta Salad?
The red wine vinaigrette is so simple and flavorful, you can throw it together right before you need it. And it comes together in minutes with just a few pantry ingredients. Save the recipe because you’ll want it on all your other salads, too!
For the Greek Dressing:
- Olive Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- Garlic
- Dried Oregano
- Lemon Zest and Lemon Juice
- Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
I love the classic combination of cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, and olives. Since grocery store tomatoes can be unpredictable, I go with my favorite brand of grape or cherry tomatoes and slice them lengthwise. I also use red onion and kalamata olives, but you are welcome to substitute your favorite onions and olives.
For the Pasta Salad:
- Rotini Pasta
- English Cucumber
- Diced Bell Pepper
- Sliced Red Onion
- Grape Tomatoes
- Feta Cheese
- Kalamata Olives
The measurements and details for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.
Carrian’s Notes
Carrian’s Secret to the BEST Greek Pasta Salad
The red onion adds a crunch and flavor that cannot be skipped, and I’ll be honest, I don’t usually love raw onions. My method to get killer flavor without the harsh bite of a raw onion? Soak it!! Using slightly salted, cold water, give your onions a ten-minute soak to help the onions remain crisp yet mellow that overwhelming onion-y-ness.
How to Make Greek Pasta Salad
This feta and cucumber pasta salad couldn’t be easier to make! Here are the basic steps to making this simple pasta salad recipe:
- Cook the Pasta: Follow the package instructions and cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water. Drain the pasta and let it cool.
- Make the Dressing: Whisk all the dressing ingredients together and set aside.
- Assemble the Salad: Add all the prepared vegetables, feta, olives and cooled pasta to a large serving bowl. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad and toss to combine.
The recipe card below contains all the instructions and the recipe can be saved or printed there.
What’s the Best Pasta for Pasta Salad?
You can use whatever pasta you want in this Greek Pasta Salad. I love rotini because it’s fun to eat and the kids love it. I also love the way the dressing gets caught in the nooks and crannies and infuses the pasta with flavor. Since all the other ingredients are chopped, I definitely suggest going with something thicker and bite-sized (as opposed to long, skinny spaghetti noodles).
How Long Will Pasta Salad Last?
To maximize the shelf life of pasta salad for safety and quality, the pasta salad should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Properly stored, pasta salad leftovers will last for 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator.
Tips for the Best Pasta Salad
Note that slightly overcooked pasta is best in this simple pasta salad so that it doesn’t absorb all of that dressing.
I use English cucumbers in this easy pasta salad recipe because they taste the best (as if I just picked them from my own garden). They also have soft skins (no peeling) and minimal seeds (no seeding). Hothouse or Japanese cucumbers are another good choice if you can’t find English.
Be sure to buy a CHUNK of feta cheese, not the crumbled kind. It’s just not the same. The goal is uniformly cubed salty bites of feta because they look great and taste even better. It really brings the salad together!
Feta cheese is sold in a lot of varieties lately, so if you’re up for it we totally recommend trying a flavored versus traditional feta cheese. There’s not going to be a huge change but it gives an extra little something. And if you’re not feeling the feta cheese thing you can easily use parmesan or skip the cheese all together.
This easy Greek pasta salad is the perfect summer side dish or light meal. With fresh vegetables, feta cheese, and a homemade salad dressing this pasta salad is both delicious and healthy.
Easy Greek Pasta Salad
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Easy Greek Pasta Salad
Description
A fresh and easy Greek Pasta Salad just in time for summer! This crowd-pleasing side dish is tasty for backyard barbecues. Curly pasta to trap the dressing is essential, then load it up with a variety of olives, fresh cucumber and more!
Course 15 of the Best Pasta Salad Recipes on the Internet, America’s Best 4th of July Desserts, Recipes and Sides, Over 100 Easter Recipes for Spring
Cuisine American, Greek
Keyword pasta, recipe, salad, side, vegetarian
Prep Time 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes minutes
Total Time 20 minutes minutes
Servings 8
Calories 441kcal
Author Carrian Cheney
For the Dressing
In a small bowl whisk oil, vinegar, garlic, lemon zest, a squeeze of the lemon, oregano, salt and pepper.
1/2 Cup Olive Oil, 1/3 Cup Red Wine Vinegar, 2 Cloves Garlic, 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano, Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper, 1 Lemon
For the Salad
To cook the pasta, bring 4 quarts water and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil.
1 Pound Rotini Pasta
Add pasta and cook according to package instructions, about 7 to 10 minutes.
Drain well and rinse with cold water.
In a large bowl, combine cooked pasta, cucumbers, bell peppers, onion, tomatoes, feta, and olives.
1 English Cucumber, 1/4 Cup Red Onion, 1 Pint Grape Tomatoes, 8 Ounces Feta Cheese, 1/2 Cup Kalamata Olives, 1/3 Cup Bell Pepper
Drizzle with dressing. Salt again to taste, this is super important to do!!
Toss gently until uniformly combined and serve.
Pasta Salad can be stored for about 5 days in the refrigerator.
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 441kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 464mg | Potassium: 375mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 884IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 177mg | Iron: 1mg
READ: Easy Greek Pasta Salad [+ Video]