Crispy Greek Pasta Salad

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a large white serving bowl of crispy Greek pasta salad with feta, kalamata olives, tomatoes and a creamy dressing

This Crispy Greek Pasta Salad takes everything we love about a classic Greek pasta salad—crisp vegetables, salty feta, briny olives, and a tangy homemade dressing—and adds crispy air-fried pasta for the most incredible crunch. I’m absolutely obsessed! It’s fresh, flavorful, and honestly one of the best pasta salads I’ve made in a long time.

If you’ve been anywhere near social media lately, you’ve probably seen the viral crispy pasta salad trend taking over. And while I love trying a viral recipe, I wanted to make a version I’d actually crave again and again so I used our popular Greek pasta salad as a starting point.

The first time I made it, I couldn’t stop sneaking bites straight from the bowl. The crispy pasta completely changes the texture and somehow makes an already great pasta salad even better.

Why You’ll Love This Crispy Greek Pasta Salad

  • The perfect mix of crunchy and creamy
  • Inspired by the viral crispy pasta trend
  • Packed with fresh Greek flavors
  • Easy air fryer recipe
  • Great for summer gatherings
  • Perfect side dish for grilling season
  • Make-ahead friendly
  • Loaded with vegetables
  • A fun twist on classic Greek pasta salad
  • Better than traditional pasta salad

Ingredients You’ll Need

This crispy Greek pasta salad uses many of the same ingredients as our traditional Greek pasta salad, but with one game-changing addition: crispy air-fried pasta. The combination of fresh vegetables, tangy dressing, salty feta, and crunchy pasta creates the perfect balance of flavors and textures.

For the Greek Dressing:

  • Olive Oil: Creates a rich, flavorful base for the dressing.
  • Red Wine Vinegar: Adds the classic tangy Greek flavor.
  • Garlic: Brings bold savory flavor.
  • Tzatziki: Makes the dressing creamy while adding fresh cucumber and herb flavor.
  • Lemon Zest: Brightens every bite.
  • Dried Oregano: A classic Greek seasoning.
  • Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper: Enhances all the flavors.

For the Pasta Salad:

  • Rotini Pasta: The spirals hold onto the dressing while crisping beautifully in the air fryer.
  • Pesto: Adds fresh herb flavor and helps the pasta crisp up.
  • Parmesan Cheese: Creates extra savory flavor and helps develop crispy edges.
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Helps the pasta

Creamy Cucumber Salad

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Creamy Cucumber Salad

If you’re looking for a refreshing, no-fuss side dish that screams warm weather, this Creamy Cucumber Salad is it. I’m talking crisp English cucumbers and thin-sliced red onion all tossed in the most incredible sour cream dill dressing that is tangy, a little sweet, and completely addictive.

This easy recipe comes together in minutes with just a handful of simple ingredients and pairs beautifully with just about anything you’re throwing on the grill. This is the kind of recipe that earns you a reputation at every picnic, barbecue, and backyard dinner you show up to.

Creamy Cucumber Salad just screams summer. You can already picture it… Phil is at the grill, Jessica sets down the most gorgeous pie you have ever seen, and the table is filling up fast. But something is missing. It is not truly a potluck until that big bowl of creamy cucumber salad shows up.

Nobody talks about it enough, but a great gathering lives and dies by its side dishes. I have come to terms with the fact that I am a side dish person in life. Not the showstopping brisket, not the pavlova piled high with fruit. I am the one who quietly holds the whole meal together, and people do not realize they need it until it is right in front of them.

This recipe is a must make all summer long. Leave a comment and tell me, what dish would you be at the potluck? The bag of chips absolutely counts.

Creamy Cucumber Salad Ingredients

Honestly, one of the best things about this Creamy Cucumber Salad is how simple the ingredient list is. Nothing fancy, nothing hard to find. Just fresh, bright flavors that come together beautifully.

  • Sour Cream: The creamy base of the dressing, giving it that cool, tangy richness that makes this salad so irresistible. Greek yogurt works great here, too if that’s what you have on hand.
  • Mayonnaise: Adds body and a subtle savory depth to the dressing, helping everything cling to the cucumbers perfectly.
  • Red Wine Vinegar: A few tablespoons wakes up the whole dressing and keeps it from feeling heavy. This is where that signature tang comes from.
  • White Sugar: Just a touch to balance out the acidity and round out all the flavors in the dressing.
  • Fresh Dill: The star herb of this salad. Fresh dill brings that unmistakable bright, grassy flavor that makes a creamy cucumber salad taste like summer in every single bite.
  • Fresh Parsley: Adds a subtle, clean herby note that complements the dill without overpowering it.
  • Garlic Powder: Just enough to add a gentle savory backbone to the dressing without stealing the show.
  • English Cucumbers: I love English cucumbers because they are thin-skinned, nearly seedless, and incredibly crisp. Slice them thin so every bite gets coated in that dreamy dressing.
  • Red Onion: Adds a pop of color and a

Easy Pesto Pasta Salad

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a large bowl of creamy pesto pasta with halved cherry tomatoes, arugula and sun dried tomatoes

You know those recipes you make once and then suddenly they’re requested at everything? This is one of those. This pesto pasta salad is fresh, simple, and packed with flavor, and it comes together with just a handful of ingredients.

It’s the perfect side for summer BBQs, easy lunches, or honestly just eating straight out of the bowl in the fridge.

I loooove pesto and grow as much basil as I can to make it and freeze it for winter. You can read all about pesto in our how to make and store pesto post. With summer creeping in, I knew it was high time we created a cold pesto pasta salad for all of your backyard gatherings and this one is over the top.

Problems to Solve

When it comes to pasta salads, there are couple of things that are absolutely unacceptable for me…

  1. I hate dry pasta salad.
  2. I hate flavorless pasta salad even though you added a dressing.

Solutions

Luckily, I have a solution for both of those problems…

  1. Ok, so pesto, even with all of that olive oil, dries out quickly! I saw a tip about adding a little mayo to the mix which doesn’t take away the flavor at all, but does keep things soft and delicious! Problem solved!
  2. Flavorless pasta salad happens when you do not over cook the pasta. You do not want those little noodles absorbing your sauce. You know how you can make a soup with noodles and the next day there’s no broth left? Well, when it’s a cold pasta salad you want to over cook, rinse in cold water to stop the cooking and always allow to completely cool and dry out a little before adding your sauce! Problem solved!

Ingredients You’ll Need

This easy pesto pasta salad keeps things simple with a handful of fresh, flavorful ingredients that really shine together. Here is what you need:

  • Pasta Spirals: Perfect for holding onto all that pesto sauce in every little twist and turn.
  • Pesto: Fresh, herby, and packed with flavor, homemade or store-bought both work great.
  • Mayonnaise: The secret to keeping the pasta salad creamy and never dry without overpowering the pesto. (I prefer Dukes!)
  • Marinated Bocconcini Mozzarella: Soft, creamy cheese with extra flavor from the marinade.
  • Cherry Tomatoes: Juicy and sweet, they add freshness and a pop of color.
  • Sun Dried Tomatoes: Rich, slightly tangy, and full of concentrated tomato flavor.
  • Pine Nuts: Add a buttery crunch that takes the texture to the next level.
  • Arugula: A little peppery b
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