Greek Pasta Salad

Name: Greek Pasta Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 7 min
Total time: 137 min
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, (plus 2 teaspoons ); ½ cup olive oil; 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice; 4 to 5 fresh garlic cloves, (minced); 1 teaspoon oregano; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon black pepper; 16 ounces rotini pasta; ½ English cucumber, (cut lengthwise and then sliced across (half-moons)); ½ cup yellow bell pepper, (seeded and cut into bite-size pieces); ½ cup red bell pepper, (seeded and cut into bite-size pieces); 1 cup red onion, (sliced (soaked in 1 cup cold salt water to reduce the “bite”)); 1 cup kalamata olives, (sliced and pitted ); 2 cups grape tomatoes, (halved); 5 ounces Feta cheese, (crumbled)

a plate of greek salad topped with feta cheese

Plenty of fresh veggies mixed with salty feta cheese and perfectly tender rotini pasta make this the perfect Greek pasta salad.

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Table of Contents

Greek Pasta Salad Ingredients
Substitutions And Additions
How To Make This Greek Pasta Salad Recipe
How To Serve This Easy Greek Pasta Salad
Storing This Feta Pasta Salad
Frequently Asked Questions
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JUMP TO RECIPE
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A rainbow of fresh vegetables combined with creamy feta cheese, tender rotini, and a bold oil and vinegar homemade dressing are the stars of this easy Greek pasta salad. All the best traditional Mediterranean flavors ensure that this salad is sure to please.

a bowl of greek salad topped with feta cheese

Greek Pasta Salad Ingredients

greek salad raw ingredients that are labeled

Greek pasta salad is a mouth-watering combination of perfectly cooked pasta, fresh vegetables, savory olives, and tangy feta cheese.

Every bite is packed with a burst of bold flavors that perfectly complement each other. The vinaigrette dressing ties everything together, giving it a delightful texture and an irresistible taste.

You’ll need:

3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons of red wine vinegar
½ cup of olive oil
3 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
4 or 5 fresh garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon of oregano
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of black pepper
16-ounce box of rotini pasta
½ English cucumber cut lengthwise and then sliced across (half-moons)
½ cup of yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into bite-size pieces
½ cup of red bell pepper, seeded and cut into bite-size pieces
1 cup of sliced red onion (soaked in 1 cup of cold salt water to reduce the “bite”)
1 cup of sliced and pitted Kalamata olives
2 cups of grape tomatoes, halved
5 ounces of crumbled Feta cheese

Substitutions And Additions

PASTA: You could change up the kind of pasta in this salad. Any pasta with lots of nooks and crannies to hold the dressing, including fusilli, bow ties or penne pasta, would be perfect.

Or how about the ever-versatile orzo pasta? Cheese or meat-filled tortellini would also work to create a filling salad. If you prefer to use whole wheat pasta, you are more than welcome to use that as well.

OLIVES: While Kalamata olives are the best and most authentic choice for this Mediterranean pasta salad recipe, you could substitute black olives. Or, if you are not a fan of olives, you can leave them out of the recipe entirely.

ADD MEAT You could add extra protein with chopped-up pieces of grilled or rotisserie chicken.

AVOCADO: You could add the buttery creaminess of avocado. Just make sure to add it to the individual plates just before serving since it won’t hold up well in the fridge.

TOMATOES: If you would prefer or are only able to find cherry tomatoes in place of grape tomatoes, you can use those instead. Just make sure you add juicy tomatoes of some sort to this yummy salad.

How To Make This Greek Pasta Salad Recipe

Once you mix up the delicious dressing, you will combine the pasta, veggies, and feta in a bowl before smothering it with the flavorful vinaigrette.

STEP ONE: In a small jar or bowl, make the salad dressing by combining the red wine vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic cloves, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Set aside.

combine vinegar, olive oil, lemon, oregano, salt, pepper, and garlic

STEP TWO: Boil the pasta in a large pot until al dente, approximately 7 minutes (be very careful not to overcook the pasta). Drain and immediately rinse the cooked pasta with cold water to prevent further cooking.

OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS

Al dente is the ideal consistency for pasta. The pasta will be tender and will still have a slightly firm texture when you bite into it.

STEP THREE: Chop all of your vegetables. Then in a large bowl, combine your vegetables with the feta cheese and dressing.

PRO TIP:

Before adding the dressing, make sure to shake or stir it well.

salad dressing being poured onto vegetables in a bowl

STEP FOUR: Mix in your pasta and stir until everything is well combined and coated.

pasta mixed in a bowl with other salad ingredients

STEP FIVE: Cover and store in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or even overnight.

How To Serve This Easy Greek Pasta Salad

This Greek feta salad would be a great recipe to pair with grilled chicken, hamburgers, or grilled tilapia; really, any main dish would work with this refreshing salad as the perfect side dish. This pasta salad is also hearty enough to be eaten as a main course for a delicious lunch on its own as well.

Round out your meal with a cold drink such as our iced tea, raspberry iced tea, sweet peach iced tea, or our southern strawberry sweet tea.

Summer is approaching fast, and cold pasta salads are all the rage when the weather is hot. We can help you out with plenty of options. A few of our all-time favorites include our Italian pasta salad and our BLT pasta salad.

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Storing This Feta Pasta Salad

Giving this salad extra time chilling in the fridge is a great idea, as it allows all the flavors to blend together.

IN THE FRIDGE: The lemon juice in this delicious pasta salad is subtle and wonderful. It helps keep the veggies bright and flavorful even a day or two later. So if there is still any left after your meal, you can keep it refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 to 3 days.

MAKE-AHEAD: If you are making this simple Greek pasta salad recipe for a potluck, you can easily make it the day before. It gives the veggies and pasta time to mingle and soak up all the dressing’s tanginess before serving.

IN THE FREEZER: We don’t recommend freezing this pasta salad as the veggies will lose their crispness once thawed.

Satisfying and filling, this hearty Greek pasta salad will be a hit time and time again. Tender pasta, ripe, sweet tomatoes, crisp, crunchy cucumbers, tangy feta cheese, and olives combine with a Greek-inspired vinaigrette that will leave you satisfied and refreshed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use store-bought dressing for this pasta salad?

There are plenty of tasty store-bought Greek salad dressings that you could choose from and use in place of homemade dressing.

Should you rinse pasta when making pasta salad?

You should rinse pasta when using it for pasta salad. It stops the pasta from cooking and prevents it from sticking together.

Could I add meat to this salad?

Adding meat such as cooked chicken would be delicious in this salad and would take it from a side dish to a complete meal.

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Greek Pasta Salad

5 from 3 votes

Plenty of fresh veggies mixed with salty feta cheese and perfectly tender rotini pasta make this the perfect Greek pasta salad.

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 7

Total Time 2 17

Servings

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Ingredients

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, plus 2 teaspoons
½ cup olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 to 5 fresh garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
16 ounces rotini pasta
½ English cucumber, cut lengthwise and then sliced across (half-moons)
½ cup yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into bite-size pieces
½ cup red bell pepper, seeded and cut into bite-size pieces
1 cup red onion, sliced (soaked in 1 cup cold salt water to reduce the “bite”)
1 cup kalamata olives, sliced and pitted
2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
5 ounces Feta cheese, crumbled

Instructions

In a small jar or bowl, make the dressing by combining the red wine vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, salt, black pepper, and garlic cloves. Set aside.
Boil the pasta until al dente, approximately 7 minutes (be very careful not to overcook the pasta). Drain and immediately rinse with cold water to prevent further cooking.
Chop all of your vegetables.
In a large bowl, combine the vegetables, feta cheese, and dressing. Before adding the dressing, shake or stir it well.
Add the rotini pasta and stir until well combined.
Cover and store in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or even overnight.

Notes

Al dente pasta is the ideal consistency for this salad. The pasta will be tender and will still have a slightly firm texture when you bite into it.
Before adding the dressing, make sure to shake or stir it well.

Nutrition

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This recipe was developed, tested, cooked and photographed by the Spaceships Kitchen. From our dinner table to yours, we hope you think it's out of this world!

Stephanie Keeping Publisher
Layne Kangas Marketing
Rhadonda Sedgwick Creative Director
Sian Cox Photographer
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Greek Pasta Salad

Greek Pasta Salad Ingredients

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How To Make This Greek Pasta Salad Recipe

How To Serve This Easy Greek Pasta Salad

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