This simple and delicious Greek pasta salad with an easy homemade dressing combines fresh cucumbers, tangy Kalamata olives, and creamy feta cheese with tender pasta for a quick side dish.
Know those last-minute invites to a BBQ or potluck? The unexpected gathering you weren’t prepared for, but you need to put a delicious dish together quickly? The holiday party you want to bring something besides a sweet treat to? Yep! I’ve been there a time or two! My solution?
This easy Greek pasta salad.
Using in-season produce and ingredients that are probably already in your pantry, create a pasta dish that everyone will rave about!!
This is a great alternative to the Italian Pasta Salad that is a potluck standard. Break out of the norm of pasta salad recipes and make a Greek salad recipe instead!
GREEK PASTA SALAD RECIPE
Besides the fact that my husband loves Greek food, this Greek pasta salad recipe is amazing for so many other reasons! It’s…
- A perfect side dish to bring to backyard BBQs and potlucks OR…
- A satisfying and filling lunch. Bring this pasta salad to work or school, or pull it out of the fridge midday if you stay at home.
- Healthy! With in-season vegetables, pasta, and Homemade Greek Dressing, it has only simple real food ingredients.
- Easy to make with pantry staples. Aside from cucumber and some feta, you can make this pasta salad Greek recipe with ingredients from the cupboard.
- Full of tangy flavor! We love all of the zesty ingredients here combined with the cool cucumbers and creamy feta.
PASTA SALAD GREEK RECIPE INGREDIENTS
A deliciously easy and simple salad that is full of texture and Mediterranean flavors. Here’s what you’ll need to make this pasta salad Greek recipe:
- Pasta. Use your favorite small pasta: elbows, penne, wagon wheels, farfalle, or bow-tie pasta are great options. Gluten-free pasta like rotini works too!
- Cucumbers. Cool and refreshing and easy to find year-round!
- Grape tomatoes. Cherry tomatoes or sundried tomatoes are also delicious in this Greek pasta salad and are easier to keep in the pantry.
- Olives. Pitted kalamata olives taste best, but black olives will work too.
- Crumbled Feta Cheese. Feta adds a creaminess to the pasta salad Greek recipe.
- Greek Salad Dressing. I’ve included my homemade dressing for Greek pasta salad below – the tangy flavor is perfect here!
Chopped red onion, diced green bell pepper or red bell peppers, or fresh parsley would bump up the veggie content here, so add them if you have them, but this Greek pasta salad is delicious as is.
RECIPES GREEK PASTA SALAD DRESSING
This Greek dressing for pasta salad is also delicious on greens, and it makes an excellent dressing for 5-Minute Greek Couscous.
Here’s what you need to make Greek dressing:
- Extra Virgin Olive oil
- Garlic powder + onion powder + dried oregano + dried basil
- Salt + black pepper
- Spicy brown mustard
- Red wine vinegar (you can substitute up to half white vinegar without altering the taste)
If you’re using Kalamata olives in your recipes Greek pasta salad, reserve the liquid and use it in place of the red wine vinegar for extra flavor.
HOW TO MAKE GREEK PASTA SALAD
Follow these easy instructions for delicious Greek Pasta Salad!
Step 1. Mix the dressing ingredients in a mason jar or bowl. Shake well in a jar or whisk in a bowl and set aside.
Step 2. In a large pot of salted water, cook pasta until al dente according to package directions. Drain and set aside to cool slightly.
Step 3. Combine chopped veggies and olives in a large bowl with the prepared Greek dressing.
Step 4. Add the cooled pasta and toss to combine flavors well and allow the dressing to get into the nooks and crannies of the pasta.
Step 5. Add feta cheese when the pasta is completely cooled and ready to serve.
This dish can be made up to 24 hours in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Add the cheese just before serving.
SERVE RECIPE FOR A GREEK PASTA SALAD WITH
This recipe for a Greek pasta salad would be perfect served at a BBQ or family gathering. You can even put it on a Grilling Meal Plan like this one!
Add some marinated grilled chicken or chickpeas to the pasta salad itself to make it a full meal.
Or prepare it on a weeknight as a side with leftovers for lunch the next day! Try it with one of these:
- Chicken Piccata
- Almond Crusted Baked Chicken
- Instant Pot BBQ Chicken
- Whole Oven Roasted Chicken
- Sheet Pan Lemon Pepper Salmon
GREEK PASTA SALAD FAQS
Do you let pasta cool before making Greek pasta salad?
Yes. You will want the pasta to be mostly cool because you don’t want it to melt the feta cheese. The good news is that pasta tends to cool rather quickly. Store the prepared pasta salad in the refrigerator.
Can you make a feta pasta salad with a different flavor?
Sure! I usually make Italian Pasta Salad with Parmesan cheese, and my Cobb Pasta Salad with cubed cheddar cheese, but feta would work in either of those too. Or make up your own pasta salads with feta cheese using my Master Pasta Salad method here.
Why is my Greek salad watery?
Cucumbers are your most likely culprit for watery pasta salad. Scrape out the seedy middle part before chopping them up so they stay nice and crisp in your finished pasta salad.
MORE YUMMY SALADS
- Vegetable Greek Salad
- Crunchy Vegetable Quinoa Salad
- How to Build the Perfect Pasta Salad
- Buffalo Chicken Bacon Ranch Salad
- Easy Broccoli Salad
- Easy Caprese Salad Recipe
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Greek Pasta Salad
This simple and delicious Greek pasta salad with an easy homemade dressing combines fresh cucumbers, tangy Kalamata olives, and creamy feta cheese with tender pasta for a quick side dish.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Soup & Salad
- Method: Bowl
- Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients
- 12 oz favorite pasta (elbows, penne, wagon wheels, bow-ties, etc.)
- 1 cucumber – peeled, quartered lengthwise, seeds removed and chopped
- 1 ½ cup grape tomatoes, halved or quartered if extra large
- 1 ½ cup olives, halved (Kalamata taste best, but black olives will work too)
- 8 oz feta cheese
Greek Salad Dressing Recipe
Instructions
- Mix ingredients for dressing in a jar or bowl and set aside.
- In a large pot of boiling water, cook pasta until al dente. Drain and set aside to cool slightly.
- Combine chopped cucumber, tomato halves and olive halves in a large bowl with the prepared Greek Dressing. Add cooled pasta and stir to combine flavors well.
- Add feta cheese when the pasta is completely cooled. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
- Tip: If you’re using Kalamata olives, reserve the liquid and use it in place of the red wine vinegar for extra flavor.
- This dish can be made up to 24 hours in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Add the cheese just before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 975
Lisa Fetter
I’m going to make this salad tmrw at work.
Jerron
This looks delish. But just wondering…….are the tomatoes in the pictures sun dried tomatoes instead of fresh? Either way, I want to try this!
Tiffany
They’re fresh in the picture because that’s what we happened to have. We definitely prefer the sun-dried, but either will work in a pinch!
Melissa
Awesome salad dressing! So yummy! Thanks, Tiffany 🙂
Tiffany
You’re welcome Melissa!
Debra Elliott
This looks yummy! Stopping by from this week’s cravings.
Teresa Peschke
This looks amazing! I would love for you to link this up to the getting crafty weekend link up party at Crafting in My closet
Teresa
Crafting in my Closet
Molly
I love a good pasta salad, and this one looks like a winner! We have a cookout to go to this weekend, and I think I just might try this out to bring. Thanks for linking up at the Get Creative Party, I’m featuring this recipe this week, go check it out 🙂
-Molly